Sara Speaks Out
by AGarrett
Summary: Catherine is upset and Sara finally tells her how she feels.
1. Chapter 1

Sara's POV

Shift ended almost two hours ago, but I just finished processing my evidence and logging everything into custody. I desperately need a long hot shower now, so I head straight for the locker room and am surprised to find Catherine still there, sitting on the bench in front of her open locker. I pause for a moment in the door and then I notice that she is crying. Sniffling and trying hard to control her tears, she finishes changing her shoes and puts away her gear in her locker, slamming it shut and standing up quickly. As she pushes past me I reach out and take her hand.

"Catherine? Are you okay?"

She shakes her head. "No, but I will be." she says, her pain very noticeable in the tremor in her voice. I tighten my hold on her and after a little struggle pull her against me in a tight embrace.

"Cat, I know we haven't been friends, but if you need something, I'd like to help." I tell her and feel her relax against me.

She finally hugs me back and then says in a steady voice, "Thank you, Sara. It's nice to know I have people who care about me." then she releases me and pulls open the door, making a quick exit. I sigh and let her go, gathering up my stuff from my locker and heading into the shower stall. I feel much better after a long shower and just want to get home for a few hours of sleep.

The next night she isn't at work and I find out that Ecklie has suspended Catherine. Simply because a guy she met at a bar after work ended up a suspect in a case she had to work that same week. Okay, so she didn't tell Grissom and she really should have. The guy wasn't even a one night stand, he obviously meant nothing to Catherine and she was sure she could remain professional. Still, she should have known the suspect would use anything he could against her.

My whole shift I worry about how she is holding up, especially after Warrick tells me what Grissom said to her. To expect her not to have a social life, simply because it might at some point intersect with her career? Is he nuts? None of us could live up to that. Okay, maybe he could. But nobody human. After shift I take a quick shower and drive by her house to see if the lights are on.

The kitchen light is on, so apparently Catherine is up. I take a chance and stop by. Just as I am about to knock on her door though, I think about how insanely early it is and I get nervous. I turn and start back to my car, but the door opens and Catherine steps out onto her porch.

"Sara? Did something happen at work?" I turn around and shake my head.

"No, I just.... well, I was worried about you, so I thought I'd drop by and then I remembered it was really early for visitors, so I was just about to leave." She smiles then and shakes her head.

"Come on in, Sara." she lifts her coffee mug and says, "I just made a fresh pot of coffee. You can help me finish it off." I shrug and follow her inside and then into her kitchen. She pours me a cup of coffee and I settle in at her kitchen table.

"I heard what happened." I tell her as she sits across from me.

"Do you ever just get lonely, Sara?" she asks in a sad voice.

I nod. "Of course I do, Cat. We all do."

She looks at me for a long moment and whispers, "But you've never made a mistake like this?"

I shake my head. "Well, not yet, but, I'm human. Grissom is the only person I know who could live up the the standards he tries to set for us. This will blow over, Catherine. You'll see."

Catherine is quiet for a long moment, then she looks at me again and I see tears in her eyes. I don't even stop to think about what I'm doing. I drop to my knees in front of her and wrap her in my arms. I just hold her against me and let her cry.

She is sobbing as quietly as she can but I can tell her heart is breaking and I just want to make her feel better. I make gentle circles on her back with one hand, my other softly running through her silky hair as I murmur in her ear.

"You're going to be just fine. I'm going to take care of you." She relaxes against my body and her sobbing slows, then stops and she pulls away from me and whispers.

"Thank you, Sara. It's good to know someone cares." I take her face in both my hands and wait until her beautiful blues eyes connect with mine.

"I care more than you know, Cat." I tell her and wipe away her tears with my thumb. She leans forward slowly, her eyes never breaking contact, and then her lips are on mine, soft and sweet and it takes me a moment to kiss her back.

When I do, I hear her gasp and her fingers tighten on my shoulders. Her lips leave mine long enough for her to mutter, "God, Sara. I need this so badly." Then she is kissing me again and I take my time exploring her mouth with my tongue. The next time she breaks the kiss I trail my lips down her chin and her throat to nip my teeth very gently against her pulse point.

That draws another gasp from her and she tightens her grip on me even more. "Sara, wait." I hear and immediately release her and move a little away from her.

"Catherine? Are you okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you." I start apologizing but she stops me with a finger across my lips.

"Sara Sidle, don't you ever apologize for kissing me." she tells me. I smile at her then and she says, "It's just that Lindsey will be up and getting ready for school soon. I really should help her get ready, but if you want to wait around and have breakfast with us, maybe after I drop her off at school, we could continue this?" her voice is suddenly nervous. How could this gorgeous woman think that I would turn her down?

I nod and tell her, "That sounds good. I'd like that." She pulls herself together and pulls out cereal and juice for Lindsey and makes toast for both of us. Just as the toast is ready, Lindsey makes her appearance.

"Morning, mom. Oh, hi, Sara. I didn't know you were here." she says as she pours herself some cereal.

"Your mom invited me to have breakfast with you two. That okay with you?" I ask her and she nods.

"Yeah, sure." She chatters a bit about school and her friends and boys that she thinks are cute. Catherine grins at me across the table and I give her a little wink.

"Would you like to come with me to drop Lindsey off?" she asks as they are preparing to leave.

"Yes, I'd like that actually."

The drive to school is more of Lindsey's updates on various friends whose names I don't recognize, but Catherine seems to know who they are. They chat and both of them try to include me in the conversation.

As soon as Lindsey is out of sight I get into the front seat next to Catherine and tell her,"Your daughter is a great kid. I can tell she is going to be a heartbreaker. Just like her mother."

Catherine looks at me carefully. "I'm not a heartbreaker, Sara." she tells me in a serious tone.

"I just meant... well you know, she has your looks and your charm and she is a terrific kid already. She is going to be stunningly beautiful just like her mother. That's what I meant." I tell her and feel myself blushing.

She smiles at me and says, "Looks like you've got your share of charm as well, Sidle."

We drive back to her place in near silence after that and when she has parked the car, she turns to me and says, "I didn't dream what happened this morning did I?"

I smile at her and shake my head, "That wasn't a dream. But, if you've decided not to finish what we started, I promise I'll understand." She is shaking her head before I finish my sentence.

"I haven't changed my mind, Sara. I think I'm just a little afraid that we might be making a mistake. We work well together. I've always felt like relationships with coworkers were doomed from the start. I just don't want to screw this up." I take her hand and look into her eyes again.

"Catherine, I'll respect your wishes, no matter what you decide. But can we go inside and talk about this some more?" Catherine agrees with a nod and we end up back in her kitchen with more fresh coffee.

She is quiet so I decide I will have to start this conversation. "I know how you feel about dating a coworker, Cat, but I think we can do this without messing things up between us. And if it gets too complicated, you can stay and I will leave. I can always go back to my job in San Francisco."

She smiles at me. "Are you sure you want to put up with me?" I take a moment to make sure she is looking at me so she knows I am serious and I don't break eye contact with her as I tell her in a serious voice.

"I'm ready for anything you are offering. I'm ready to deal with you, with Lindsey, with the rest of your family. I want to be part of your life, Cat, and I want you to be part of mine. I want to tell you all the things I've never shared with anyone and I want to hear everything there is to know about you. I want to buy you flowers and take you out to nice restaurants for no reason at all. I want to spend the rest of my life getting to know the real Catherine Willows and showing you who Sara Sidle really is. But I don't want to push too hard and scare you off, so if you aren't ready for this, then tell me now and I promise I will understand."

I could see tears in her eyes and I got a little nervous that I had revealed too much. She wasn't ready for me to have such deep feelings for her. Then I felt her fingertips brush my cheek. I lifted my eyes to meet hers and I saw hope and desire mixed in her eyes.

"You want more than a physical thing?" she asked softly.

"I want everything, Catherine. I want the physical stuff, but I want the rest of it, too. The good the bad and all the in between."

"With me?" she asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Of course! You are the most passionate person I know. I tried for so long to make something work with Grissom, but he has no emotional depth. He has little understanding of people. So if you are worried that he will someday take me away from you, well.... stop worrying. I'm all yours if you want me, Catherine. But it has to be your decision. I won't chase you."

She smiled at me then and said, "I hope you don't expect me to chase you. I don't think I'd know how to pursue a relationship with a woman. Especially one almost ten years younger than me. But, don't get the wrong idea, Sara, because I want this. I really do. I just don't quite know what the rules are for this kind of relationship."

I grinned at her and asked in a flirty tone, "Does that mean you've never been with a woman before?" She smiled back at me and nodded.

"That is exactly what that means. So, where do we go from here?" I leaned forward very slowly so she could pull away if she chose to and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"How about, we start here?" I asked and then kissed her again, harder this time.

She relaxed as I deepened the kiss and I could feel her body respond to mine. Her fingers were wound into my hair and she had thrown her head back to give me access to her wonderful throat. I nibbled gently at her earlobe and she moaned and gripped me by the shoulders.

"Catherine?" I whispered softly in her ear.

"Hmmm, what?" she asked as she roused herself from the haze she seemed to be in from my kisses.

"Where is your bedroom?" I mumbled against her ear as I unbuttoned her blouse with one hand, holding her tightly against my body with my other arm wrapped around her waist.

"Upstairs." she panted as I slipped my hand inside her blouse and let my fingertips graze her hard nipples. We climbed the stairs slowly, never letting go of each other. I kept kissing her and running my hands all over her wonderful body. She was exploring my body by then as well.

One hand had slid down the back of my jeans and she squeezed my ass hard and mumbled against my ear, "God, Sara. You are amazing! I want you so much!" When we reached her bedroom she led me inside and shut the door then pushed me up against it. She pressed her body against mine and kissed me hard.

"Take this off." she whispered, tugging gently at the blouse I was wearing. I complied and tossed the blouse into the far corner of her bedroom. Her hands went immediately to my breasts. She traced the outline of my bra with her fingertips, then again with her long fingernails. I heard myself moan when she bent to run her lips across the top of my bra line.

She unhooked the bra and let it drop to the floor and her eyes took in the sight of my naked breasts for a long moment before she dipped her head down and took one of my hardened nipples into her mouth. I couldn't contain the growl that drew from me and I pushed at her shoulders and whispered. "Cat, I need to lie down."

She stepped back so I was no longer pinned to the door and I took her hand and led her to the queen size bed in the middle of the room.

"Take this off?" I asked as I let my fingers trace the V in her blouse. She stripped it off slowly, watching my reaction. She seemed pleased to know that she took my breath away. I unzipped my jeans and slipped my shoes and socks off before pulling both my jeans and underwear to the floor and stepping out of them. I stood naked in front of her and felt suddenly nervous.

"I guess you'll want an explaination for all these scars?" I said and she raised one eyebrow at me.

"It can wait until later." she whispered as she lowered her mouth to my breast again. She sucked gently at my nipple and I felt my knees go weak. She sighed and pulled away to look at me for a long moment.

"You're more beautiful than I imagined, Sara." she whispered almost reverently.

"I need to look at you." I told her and indicated that she was wearing far too many clothes.

"So, does that mean you want me to strip for you?" she asked in a teasing tone. I felt myself blush and I knew she would know that was one of my favorite fantasies.

"Actually, I think I'd really like to take them off you, myself." I told her. She groaned as I slid my fingers into the waistband of her jeans and worked the buttons loose one by one. I unhooked her bra and slid it slowly off her shoulders and down her arms, letting my fingertips make a trail across her smooth skin the whole way.

Then I gently coaxed her into lying down and I peeled her jeans off slowly, then kissed my way from her ankles to her hips. Trailing hot kisses all around the lacy underwear she was still wearing. I tugged at the legging of the underwear with my teeth, then nibbled across the lacy thong until I reached her waistband. I hooked my fingers into the waistband and dragged the underwear off her hips and down her long sexy legs, throwing them over my shoulder and across the room. Catherine watched my every move with that intense stare of hers. Her blue eyes held a spark of lust and her breathing was labored. I lay my body across hers and our breast connected and I heard Catherine gasp aloud at the contact.

"God, Sara! You feel so amazing. So soft! God, I love this." she confessed. I kissed her lips gently until she tightened her grip on my hair and nibbled at my lips with her teeth, then I pulled away and nibbled across her throat and down her chest. I spent long moments worshipping her breasts before I kissed my way further down her body. Her hips were lifting off the bed by the time I reached the V between her legs.

I kissed the inside of her thighs and blew hot breath over her and she moaned, "Oh, please, Sara. Please. I need this."

I ran a finger along her cleft and groaned aloud at the slick wetness that I found there. "God, Cat! You're so wet! And you smell so good! I just can't wait to taste you." I whispered and heard her groan.

"Oh, God. Please, Sara, please." I dipped my head and ran my tongue along her pussy lips. She cried out and lifted her hips off the bed. I held her down and kissed my way all around her sex before I went in to taste her again. She was even wetter the second time and I dipped my tongue inside her and flicked it out and up across her clitoris before stiffening it and pushing inside her again.

"Mmmm, Oh, Sara! Don't stop. I need this so much, Sara." she begged. I raised myself on one arm and slid two fingers inside her, then resumed licking all around her clit and occasionally brushing across it with my tongue. I could feel her muscles tense up and she spread her legs even wider for me, so I gently took her clitoris into my mouth. I closed my lips around it and flicked my tongue against it over and over again in a steady rhythm while I kept sliding my fingers back and forth inside her. She wound her fingers into my hair and gripped my head tightly against her while she ground her pelvis into my face. I felt her inner muscles tighten around my fingers and she cried out and held my mouth against her tightly enough that I thought she would suffocate me. Then she released me and fell back limp against the bed.

"Oh, Sara! That was so good. Where did you learn to do that?", she asked.

"Are you sure you want me to answer that?" I teased and she seemed to think about the question for a moment and then shook her head.

"No, I'd be too jealous." she told me.

"You never need to be jealous, Catherine. I would never cheat on you. As long as you and I are together there will be no one but you in my bed."


	2. Chapter 2

Catherine's POV

I was so exhausted and so completely relaxed that I fell asleep on Sara. When I woke up she was lying naked and curled around me. One arm across my bare stomach and one leg thrown across my thighs. She was still sleeping and I lay still for a long moment just watching her breathe and remembering our first night together.

Remembering the scars I noticed the night before when Sara undressed, I can't stop myself from lifting the sheet to get another look at them. I found myself slowly tracing one of the more prominent scars with a fingertip, very lightly, trying hard not to wake Sara. I gaze at her bare skin and try to memorize every mark on her. I suppose my removing the sheet must have left her a bit chilled because when I finally lifted my eyes to her face again, Sara's dark brown eyes were open and she lifted an eyebrow at me.

"Good morning. Getting a closer look?" she smiled.

"Something like that." I whispered and leaned in to give her a long kiss. She returned the kiss and things heated up quickly. She rolled over and covered the length of my body with hers, letting her long hair trail along my bare skin as she kissed her way down my body. I held on to just enough of my self-control to stop her before I got too involved in what she was doing to me.

"Wait, Sara. If you do that again I'm just going to fall asleep on you again. I really wanted to return the favor, but I think you need to let me start this time." I explained when she gave me an impatient look.

"If you're sure that is what you want, Cat. I'm all yours. I'll go along with anything you want." Sara told me and I felt my pulse speed up with thoughts of what I'd like to do with her. She noticed the look in my eyes and her smile brightened and she winked at me.

"I can tell you already have something in mind." Sara whispered in a sexy tone of voice that left me weak with desire. I kissed her hard and rolled us over so I was lying on top of her. She didn't try to stop me. I lowered my head and started nibbling my way down her throat towards her breasts. When I reached the jagged scar above her breast I kissed it tenderly and moved lower to place kisses all around the sensitive skin of her breasts.

Suddenly nervous I stopped to look into Sara's eyes for a moment. My mind couldn't quite accept that we had made such a drastic change in our relationship in such a short period of time. Sara had a concerned look on her face. She raised an eyebrow and whispered into my hair.

"Something wrong, Cat?" I shook my head, but I could tell she wasn't convinced.

"I've never really thought about doing this with another woman before last night. It just shocks me a little that this is all real. Do you understand at all what I'm feeling, Sara?" I questioned her. She smiled and ran her fingers through my hair, pulling it away from my eyes.

"You know, we don't have to do this right now. It won't change the way I feel about you. Take your time, Catherine. Get comfortable with this, with me, before we do this again." Sara seemed sure of herself and I wondered where this confidence came from. I'd never known her to be so together and in control.

"Sara, I want to. I really do. It's just sort of frightening to me right now, just how much I feel for you. I'm a little overwhelmed by all of this. It doesn't mean that I don't want this, just that I'm really nervous about it." I tried to explain myself to her. I really wanted Sara to understand.

"Well, how about this? Why don't we make a date with each other. I'll pick you up after shift and we'll have breakfast together. Me, you and Lindsey? Pancakes and coffee?" Sara coaxed.

"That sounds good, but don't think that means you can walk out of here without explaining some of these scars to me, Sidle." I arched an eyebrow at her and her smile faltered a little.

"I should have known you'd bring that up." she sighed.

"I just want to get to know you better, Sara. I'm not really trying to pry." I offered.

"I know. And I do want to tell you everything, but I don't think I'm strong enough for this conversation right now." Sara looked like she might start crying. Her face was serious and her confidence had gone into hiding again.

"Okay. It can wait. I don't want to push you. You've been so perfect, Sara. Everything I needed, more than I could have hoped for." I assured her.

She smiled thinly and ran her fingers through my hair over and over while she placed gentle kisses all over my face. We held each other tightly for a long moment and then my desire got the better of me and I pushed her back against the pillows again and kissed her deeply.

She responded with a a moan and a very passionate returned kiss. I let my hands wander down her ribcage and back up to cup her breasts. Her breath came hard, and she arched into my touch. She was so sexy I couldn't stop myself from pushing for more.

"God, Sara, you are so beautiful!", I whispered in her ear and then traced the outline of her ear with the tip of my tongue. She hissed and threw her head back to give me better access to her throat. I kissed my way down her throat, then lower to nuzzle her breasts. I licked and kissed all around her nipples before taking one of them into my mouth and sucking it very gently.

Sara groaned and gripped my hair in both her hands. She looked into my eyes and I noticed she was biting her lower lip and staring intently at my mouth. I took my time, moving slowly from one breast to the other and back again. Sara was enjoying the attention, I could tell. Her throaty noises grew louder as I tortured her longer.

"Catherine, please... I can't take much more teasing.", she finally begged. I kissed my way down her muscled abdomen and then lower, between her soft thighs. She gasped at the first touch of my tongue on her heated center. She was so wet I couldn't believe that she had held out this long. I loved the way she smelled. And after the first taste of her, I couldn't get enough of her taste. I wanted to burn this experience into my memory forever.

Sara tensed and her back arched, thighs tightening around my head until I thought she would leave bruises on my face. I held onto her, clamping my mouth to her as she bucked and ground herself against me. When her climax came she went limp and sagged into the pillows as if her bones had melted. I couldn't stop the cocky grin I knew was forming on my face. She just smirked at me and rolled her eyes.

"Proud of yourself, Willows?", she asked.

"Are you kidding? Of course I am!", I smirked right back.

Sara laughed softly and rolled over to rest her head on my shoulder. I held her and stroked her hair as she drifted off to sleep again. She made me feel like the world's greatest lover. I could very quickly get addicted to this.


	3. Chapter 3

Sara's POV

I woke up to the sound of a loud television coming from downstairs. Glancing around I realized this isn't my apartment. Memories flooded back and I felt with my right arm for Catherine. She was gone. I guess she must have got up and gone to pick up Lindsey. That is probably why the television is so loud. Lindsey would want to watch cartoons on t.v. before she has to do her homework. I rolled out of bed and walked naked into the master bathroom where I quickly showered and wrapped a large towel around me.

Remembering that I hadn't brought a change of clothes, I start to look through Catherine's closet hoping I'll find something that will fit me. Hopefully something the boys at the lab won't recognize as hers. I find a pair of jeans that will fit, but they are a couple of inches too short for my long legs. I decide to wear them anyway, and then continue to search through her dresser until I find a long T-shirt that Catherine probably only uses as a sleep shirt, since it seems way too big for her. I put it on and then it hits me, this might be her ex-husband's shirt. What if it upsets her or Lindsey to see me wearing it. I'm starting to get really nervous when the bedroom door opens quietly and Catherine sticks her head in.

"Oh, you're awake? I was going to wake you up to have some food with us before you have to leave for shift.", she told me.

"I, um... needed to borrow some clothes. I hope you don't mind." I started to explain and Catherine shook her head and smiled at me.

"Not at all. Take whatever you need. That's actually a sleep shirt. Why don't I find you something a bit more appropriate for work?", she says stepping into the room and opening her closet wide. She pulled out a black v-neck shirt that had sleeves that hit me just below my elbows. The fit was nice though and I wore the shirt happily.

"Thanks, Cat. I'll get these back to you soon.", I told her and she shrugged.

"If we're going to be seeing each other we will probably end up with clothing at each other's places anyway. Don't worry about it, Sara. Now, can you come join Lindsey and me for dinner before you have to leave for work?", she finished.

"I'd love to.", I told her and followed her downstairs to the kitchen.

"Hey, Sara! Mom says you guys are dating now. That's cool! I like having you around. You think you could help me with my math homework?", Lindsey is chattering before we are off the stairs and I can't help the huge smile that crosses my face.

"Yeah, I can help you with your homework whenever you like.", I tell her and Catherine lifts an eyebrow.

"Sara can help, but you have to do the homework yourself, Linds. No watching t.v. while Sara does your homework! You promise you will do your own work and Sara can look over it and show you what you did wrong, and maybe help you fix it.", Catherine warned her. I hadn't even thought of any of that. Good thing I don't have to raise a kid by myself. I'm amazed at how good Catherine is at the whole Mom thing.

We move into the kitchen and Catherine serves salad and pasta. She pours a tall glass of iced tea for me and she and Lindsey drink lemonade. This all feels almost foreign to me. My family never had meals together like this. It also feels very comfortable and I think I could easily get used to this.

Lindsey helps Catherine clear the table and, while Cat washes the dinner dishes, Lindsey brings her math homework to the table and shows me what has been giving her problems. I look over what she has done and correct a few mistakes, then explain to her a few simple things that will help her remember how to do this kind of math next time she has it.

Catherine finishes the dishes and leans against the counter watching me interact with her kid. I can't help wondering what she is thinking. She doesn't say anything, just watches us both closely. When I look up at her, while Lindsey is working out her last problem, she smiles brightly and moves around the counter toward the table.

"Thank you, Sara. I can barely help her with this kind of stuff. It was always my least favorite subject.", she grins at me.

"Anytime I can help, I'd be happy to.", I tell her. She gave me a hug and a quick kiss to the lips.

"We both appreciate it, Sara. I'm so glad you decided to stay.", Catherine tells me and I see tears in her eyes. I stood up and wrapped her in a hug, stroking her hair with one hand and pulling her upper body tightly against mine with my other hand.

"I'm sorry, Sara. I didn't mean to lose control. I just realized how much I'm going to miss you tonight. Will you come by when your shift is over?", she asked.

"Sure, we can get an early start and take Lindsey out for breakfast before we drive her to school. How does that sound to you, Linds?", I ask, knowing the ten-year old will be excited to have breakfast at a restaurant with her mom and me. Lindsey doesn't disappoint.

"Yeah, that would be cool! Can we, Mom? Please?", she chatters. Catherine smiled and looked at both of us for a long moment before she answered.

"Yes, that does sound good. Thank you, Sara. So, we will plan to see you about 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. then?", Catherine asks.

"Earlier if I can get done and get out of the lab a little early. Depends on what new assignments Grissom gives out. I'll call you if plans change.", I tell her, then kiss her lightly on the lips and gather my stuff to leave for my shift.

Once at the lab, though, I got a surprise. Grissom gave everyone but me an assignment and said I had paperwork to catch up on. Then he tracked me down in my secluded lab where I went to work on my paperwork and really hit me with a surprise.

"Sara, I've been thinking about it, and I think maybe we should go out. You said that you thought it might work between us, and now, well, I'd really like to give it a chance. What do you say we get some breakfast after shift?", he asked me. He looked embarrassed and uncomfortable, but he didn't hesitate or stutter. He wants to go out on a date with me. After all the years I wasted chasing this man, he is now chasing me. I want to scream at him, but I don't want to hurt him. I feel sorry for him. He waited too late, then decided he could take a chance on me after all.

"Grissom, I can't go to breakfast with you. I have breakfast plans with someone else already.", I tell him, but he doesn't understand that I'm trying to tell him I'm spoken for.

"Well, alright then. How about we make dinner plans instead?", he tries again.

"No, Gil. You don't understand. You're too late. I'm not free. I'm with someone else already. I've moved on.", I explain as gently as I can, given the amount of anger I feel for him right now.

He nods slowly, "Oh, I see. Well, I guess I'll let you get back to your paperwork, then.", he mutters and wanders off toward his office.

Now, I'm restless and in a foul mood and I tackle the paperwork with every intention of finishing up early and leaving to meet Catherine and Lindsey as early as possible. The pile of file folders is stacked neatly on one end of the layout table I'm using as a desk and I quickly scan through the files and start working on the newest ones first. Soon the pile is finished and I only have to check in with Grissom before I can leave.

I knock lightly on his door and open it a slight crack. I check around to make sure there are no wandering spiders and step inside the office where Grissom can see the stack of folders I brought to drop off on his desk. He has a stack three times this size already on his desk and he hasn't even started on them yet. I add my stack to the smallest stack on his desk.

"Got all these done. I'm going to head out early if you don't mind.", I tell him and turn toward the door.

"Just a minute, Sara. A liquor store robbery just came in. I need you to go collect the evidence and write up a report on it.", he told me. I nearly lost my temper with him. I have two hours left in my regular shift and he wants me to work a case that will take at least four hours and then write up a report on it, tonight?

"I need to leave early tonight, Grissom. Can't you let someone on Swing take this one?", I nearly plead.

"Sara, you've never let your personal life interfere with your work before. I can't believe you have changed so much this quickly. I think this relationship might not be good for you.", he told me in a serious tone and I almost smacked him. I decided against it, since I do enjoy my job, but I sure wanted to hit him.

"Maybe that's because until now, I really never had a personal life. Now that I do, I don't intend to neglect it.", I told him as politely as I could manage.

"Sara, you'll need to finish your assignment before you can go, or I'll be forced to report this on your work record.", Grissom actually threatened me. Okay, now I'm losing respect for the man. If he keeps this up I will have to hurt him.

"Grissom, I have worked more overtime than anyone in this department. I need to leave early tonight because I have plans, but if you need to write me up because of that, then go ahead.", I tell him. He sighed and gave me a sad look.

"Sara, you know Ecklie is just looking for a reason to fire you. I don't want to have to give him one. Just do your job.", he whines.

"Grissom, I'm leaving in exactly two hours. Whatever isn't done by then will have to wait until next shift.", I tell him. I finish out my shift and clock out on time, one of only three times I've left on time all month.

I know Grissom will be angry, but I doubt he will write me up. He is just jealous now that he knows I have a personal life. I'm still angry that he had the nerve to proposition me after all the time I wasted trying to get him to notice me. I'm in a foul mood, and I need to change that before I meet with Catherine and Lindsey. I turned on the radio and try to find a good song that will lift my spirits. Finally I settled on a song I liked and I started to sing along. By the time I pulled into Catherine's driveway I was in a better mood and ready to relax and enjoy the company of my two favorite girls.


	4. Chapter 4

Catherine's POV

Sara picked us up after her shift and we went to IHOP, Lindsey's favorite, for pancakes. After breakfast we dropped Lindsey off at school and then went back to Sara's place. It was only the second time I'd ever been to Sara's apartment. She excused herself to shower and change and left me to wander around and look at her books. She had lots of textbooks, mostly on forensics, but some on astrology, some on archeology. Clearly she was the type to study whatever caught her interest. And apparently she had eclectic interests. I was looking at her music collection when she came back into the living room.

"Find something you like?"

"I like you." I smiled at her. She smiled back and stepped closer to me. Wrapping me in her arms she kissed me throughly.

"I've missed you." she breathed.

"I've missed you, too." We kissed for a few minutes and Sara guided me to the sofa and we sat close together and she ran her fingers through my hair and studied my face with intense dark eyes. She swallowed hard and leaned close to me, placing soft kisses on my neck and upper shoulder.

"I've been thinking about you all night. I just couldn't stop thinking about how fast we're moving. Do you regret it, Cat?" she asked and pulled back to search my face with her dark eyes.

"No, Sara. Of course not. I was miserable, and lonely and just a little crazy until you came along. You're the best part of my life, Sara. Well, after Lindsey anyway."

Sara smiled at me and then bit her lip.

"You'd tell me if there was a problem wouldn't you, Cat?"

I rolled my eyes and just looked at her for a long moment then we both laughed.

"Did you forget who you're talking to, Sara? Believe me if there is a problem between us you will be the first to know. Probably at high volume." I smiled and she laughed.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot how clear you make your displeasure at times. I just want to make sure I'm not already screwing this up. I just really want this to work." Sara pulled me into a light hug. Her eyes closed and she sighed deeply. Her smile had faded and she looked a little sad.

"Is something wrong, Sara? You seem a little down." She just shook her head and gave me a small smile. Then she kissed me again.

"Nothing is wrong, now. I just really needed you, today."

"You know you can always call me when you feel that way." Sara's smile grew brighter and she hugged me a little tighter.

"Next time, I think I just might." she whispered into my ear.

"Show me your bedroom." I told her. She raised an eyebrow.

"Impatient, Cat?"

"No, I can wait. I want to tuck you in and let you get some sleep. You look exhausted, Sara. Let me take care of you." She nodded and led me to her bedroom. I turned down the covers and helped her settle in.

"Do you want me to stay with you, or come back later to wake you up?" I asked in a soothing tone.

"Don't leave." Sara gripped my fingers in hers and met my eyes, she looked like she was ready to cry.

"I'm not going anywhere." I reassured and settled in next to her. She snuggled into me and put her head on my shoulder. We kissed slow and sweet. Her fingers traced a pattern on my abdomen. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep and I held her and watched her relax into her dreams.

I fell asleep as well, but Sara had a nightmare and woke up screaming, jolting me awake. I held her tight and soothed her. She took a few calming breaths and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I should have warned you this might happen."

"Does it happen often?"

"Often enough." she shrugged.

"Is this another one of those things you're not comfortable telling me yet?" I sighed.

"It's not that I'm not comfortable with you, Cat. I just... I'm afraid that once you know all there is to know about me you won't want me around. You won't trust me anymore."

"Okay, that requires an explanation. Why would I not trust you, Sara? Have you done something illegal? Are you seeing someone else? What is this about?" Sara shook her head and I could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"No, Cat. I have these nightmares. Usually they are about things that happened in my past. Um, about how I got these scars. But sometimes, they are about people I know now, and they get mixed in with the nightmares from my childhood and in these dreams I do terrible things."

"Sara, honey, they're dreams. I know you would never hurt me or Lindsey. No matter what you dream about, I know that you would never willingly do anything to harm either of us."

Sara cried for a few minutes, then she pointed out one the scars on her chest.

"I got this when I was five. My dad was drunk and he and my mother were fighting. I tried to sneak past them and hide in my room like I usually did, but he saw me and he grabbed my arm and pulled me in front of him. He was yelling and twisting my arm and my mom said something that really pissed him off and he shoved me out of his way so he could attack her again. He pushed me so hard I went right through a plate glass window. That's where this scar came from."

"Is that what the dream was about?" I asked gently. She nodded.

"Yes, but in the dream it wasn't my mom and dad arguing, it was you and me. And it wasn't me who went through the window, it was Lindsey. And I'm the one who pushed her." Sara was crying again and I pulled her to me.

"It was a nightmare, Sara. It wasn't real. I know you would never hurt Lindsey."

"I worry that I'm like them. I worry that maybe the violence and insanity might be genetic. Maybe it has just been dormant all these years."

"No, Sara. You're not like them. Not that way, anyway. I'm sure that you inherited something from them both, but never that. Sara, you are so sweet and so gentle, I know you could never harm me. And if I thought you would harm Lindsey there is no way I would ever let you near her. So don't worry anymore. I trust you. And you need to trust me. Trust me to protect myself and my daughter. Trust me to protect you when you need me to."

We decided to get up and go pick Lindsey up from school. Sara said we should take her to the park for a couple of hours before she had to leave us to get ready for her next shift. Lindsey was excited to get to spend time with both of us and she and Sara threw the frisbee around while I sat and watched them playing together. Sara had a childlike expression when she started having fun. It was adorable on her.

After the park, Sara dropped us at my place and went back to her apartment to shower and change. She told me she would bring a change of clothes with her when she dropped by after shift. I helped Lindsey with her homework and made dinner for both of us, then put my daughter to bed and spent some time reading.

I got some sleep on the sofa while I waited for Sara to come home, but she woke me up around 3 a.m. with a phone call.

"Catherine, I'm sorry to call you at this hour, but I think I'm going to have to cancel our breakfast date. I'm on a case that isn't going well and it looks like I may have to pull a double." she told me.

"Sara, don't worry about it. We'll get together when you have some time. Just promise me you will eat something and try to get a little sleep when you can."

"I promise. I'll see you as soon as I get a chance, Cat. I love you." Sara said in a low tone.

"I love you, too. Be careful and call me if you need to talk, okay."

"I will. Thank you, Catherine."

We hung up and I went upstairs to bed to get some more sleep. I was having a very intense dream, mostly about Sara, when I was awakened by someone leaning on my doorbell. A glance at the clock showed it was just after seven a.m. Sara's shift should normally be over by now. Maybe she got done early.

I threw on my robe and stopped for a second in front of the mirror to make sure my hair wasn't sticking up every which way, then rushed to open the door for her. I'm sure I was wearing a bright smile when I opened the door, but I was surprised to find Grissom standing there instead of Sara. He looked like he hadn't slept in days and he had lost weight since the last time I saw him. Apparently he wasn't eating much these days either.

"Gil, Is everything alright? Do you want to come in?" I asked and he nodded and brushed past me, into the living room. He sat nervously on the edge of my sofa and looked around the room as if he had to make sure we were alone.

"I'm sorry for the early visit, Catherine. I just didn't know where else to go. I think I just need someone to talk to. We've always been good friends, so I thought of you first."

"It's not a problem, Gil. What's on your mind? You really kind of look like hell, Gil. When is the last time you slept?"

"Um, I got a couple hours sleep just before shift started. Before that, well I guess, maybe I slept for a while on Monday."

"Monday? Gil, it's Thursday. This isn't healthy. What's going on?"

"I just don't know what to do. I tried to talk to her, but it didn't go well. And now, Sara says she is seeing someone else. She's moved on. And I think I'm in love with her. What can I do, Catherine? How can I get her back?"

My heart stopped for a second when he said her name. My brain played out a scene where he had come to tell me she was hurt or killed at work. But then I remembered, no one knows that we are dating, no one would think to tell me if that did happen. It took me a long moment to understand what Gil was saying and when it finally sunk in all I could think about was how Sara had tried so hard to get him to notice her, and now he thinks he is in love with her. Jealousy took over for a long moment, but I took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm myself. I was getting angry, but I wasn't sure if I was angry with Gil, or with Sara.

"Sara? This not sleeping thing is about Sara? You... wait a minute, you said you think you're in love with her? Did you tell Sara that?" I stammered still shocked that he had come to me to help him get Sara back.

"I tried to tell her how I feel. I've never been good at discussing my emotions, though. I think I made a mess of it. And she told me that she is seeing someone else, and that I'm too late. She looked happy, Catherine. And that just made me miserable. I feel bad that I'm not able to just be happy for her. How can I fix this, Catherine? What can I do to show Sara that I can give her everything she needs?"

My old friend was sitting on my sofa, begging me to help him win Sara's heart. I wanted to tell him about our relationship, but I wanted to talk it over with Sara first. I didn't know how long it might be before I got to see Sara again, and Gil was in pain and he needed some help. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting him, but he needs to talk to someone else. I can't give him advice about Sara.

"Gil, I know you're having a hard time, and believe me I'd like to be able to help you, but I really think you're asking the wrong person." I finally told him. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"You're much better at social situations than I am. There has to be some advice you can give me. Catherine, I don't know who else I could talk to about this. You're my closest friend. I don't have anyone else to turn to." He looked so tired and miserable I felt sorry for him. I sighed and stood up. I stretched out my hand and took his arm.

"You need some sleep before you can think clearly. Come on, I'll put you up in the guest room." I told him and he let me lead him upstairs and into the guest bedroom.

"Just get some sleep and we will talk again later, okay?" I told him. He nodded and stretched out across the bed. I flicked the light off as I left and shut the door behind me.

I went downstairs and brewed a pot of coffee and made some oatmeal for Lindsey's breakfast. She thundered down the stairs just as I got it ready and we ate breakfast together, then I drove her to school.

"Mom, is Sara coming by today?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, honey. Sara had a tough case and she may have to work all day. When she gets done she'll be tired and need some sleep. But, don't worry, she'll be coming back to see us this weekend I'm sure." I reassured my daughter.

"Mom, why is Uncle Gil's car in the driveway?"

"He wasn't feeling well and he just needed a place to stay. I'm just taking care of him today."

"Okay. See you after school." Lindsey said as she climbed out of the car. I had to smile at how simple things seemed to be for her. Right now it all felt like a complicated mess to me. I waited until Lindsey was inside the building, then drove to the park where Sara had taken us the day before. I pulled into a space and parked and just sat there for a few minutes trying to clear my head and decide what I wanted to say, then I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Sara's number.

"Sidle," she answered in her professional tone.

"Hi, it's me. Can you talk?"

"Yeah, I've got a few minutes to kill. Did you get Lindsey off to school okay?"

"Yeah, I just dropped her off a few minutes ago. She misses you."

"I miss her, too. I miss both of you."

"Sara, Gil came by this morning. In fact he is still at the house. He looked like he hadn't slept in days and I put him up in the guest room. He was upset. He looks like hell. He came to me for advice, Sara. He says he's in love with you and wanted me to tell him how to get you back. He doesn't know about us yet, but I want to tell him. I don't want him finding out from someone else. He'd hate me. He's my closest friend, Sara."

"I know. I'm sorry you got dragged into the middle of this." she whispered.

"I'm not sorry. I just hate knowing that I'm going to have to hurt him."

"Wait a few days? I'd rather we tell him together."

"Okay, if that's what you want. I love you, Sara."

"That was what I needed to hear. I've missed you so much you just wouldn't believe it."

"I believe it, because I miss you just as much. Call me when you can?"

"I will."

We hung up and I sighed in relief. I drove home and cleaned the breakfast dishes before settling in to read for a while. Then I called my sister and asked her to pick up Lindsey when she went to pick up her son, Jeremy. I needed to keep Lindsey away from Gil until Sara and I could talk to him.


	5. Chapter 5

Catherine's POV

I made grilled cheese sandwiches and woke Gil up for lunch. He muttered something about needing a shower and headed for the bathroom while I went back to the kitchen and heated some tomato soup from a can to go with the sandwiches. Gil came down with a towel wrapped around his waist and my short kimono robe on across his shoulders. It was far too short for him and he looked ridiculous, but he seemed to know how silly he looked and he didn't seem to care, so I refrained from pointing out just how odd he looked.

"Give me your clothes and I'll toss them in the washing machine for you." I told him and he went back upstairs to fetch his clothing.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me, Cath. I really didn't know where else to go. I'm sorry if I've inconvenienced you."

"It's not a problem, Gil. Now, sit down and eat some food. You've lost too much weight, it isn't healthy. You have to take better care of yourself, whether or not you manage to work things out with Sara." I set his sandwich in front of him and served him a bowl of soup to go with it. I searched through the fridge and realized I was almost out of everything. I really needed to go shopping.

"All I have to offer is grape soda. Lindsey loves the stuff so we keep it in stock." I apologized as I set a chilled can of grape soda in front of him. He smiled and popped open the soda.

"I'd love a grape soda. Thank you, Catherine."

I sat down on the opposite side of the table and ate my sandwich in silence. Gil seemed to be deep in thought and he didn't say anything, but I could tell he was thinking about what he wanted to say next. I hoped he was feeling a little better and didn't want to discuss Sara with me again. I didn't like the idea of lying to him, but I'd promised Sara I'd wait until we could talk to him together and I really couldn't deal with his pain and my jealousy right now.

"Lindsey asked about you. She saw your car in the driveway." I told him, mostly to have something to say. He smiled at that.

"She's a great kid, Cath. You've done a really good job raising her. I miss spending time with her. You should bring her to the lab sometimes like you used to do." he rambled.

"You know I only used to bring her in with me when I couldn't find a babysitter. I really don't like to have her roaming around the lab while I'm working. I'd rather keep my work and my private life separated. We see too much of the worst of people."

"I was too harsh with you, Catherine. I made such a mess of my own personal life and then tried to tell you that you were unprofessional for trying to have a personal life. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

I guess that was what he had been thinking about so seriously earlier. I just nodded.

"You had a point, though. I wish you had been a little easier on me making that point, but you were right, at least about Adam Novak." I told him.

"Still, you made a mistake. No worse than the mistakes I've made, just in a different way. I should have been more understanding."

"Well, maybe we've both learned something." I told him. He smiled then and reached out to take my hand.

"Sometimes I think this would all be so much easier if I had these feelings for you, instead of Sara." he sighed and squeezed my hand, then released me. I had to smile, it was just like him to think of me as the easier option. He really should know me well enough to know that I can be far more difficult than Sara.

"Let me toss your clothes in the dryer and we can settle in and talk for a while." I told him and went to check his laundry.

When I finished in the laundry room I found Gil sitting on the sofa, flicking through channels with the remote. He was apparently just passing time until I returned because when I settled onto the sofa beside him, he flicked the t.v. off and turned to face me.

"Do you have any ideas about how I can fix this with Sara?" he asked again.

"Not a clue."

"Catherine, you've got to help me. I don't know what she wants from me." he begged.

"Have you tried just asking her, Gil? I hate to keep repeating myself, but I'm not the one you need to be talking to. Call her. Ask her what she wants. Tell her whatever you feel you really need to tell her and then just respect her decision and walk away if that is her choice." I couldn't help losing patience with him.

"I tried to talk to her already. I messed it up. I made her angry. She says she is involved with someone already. She wouldn't say who he is." he rambled.

"Gil, would it really matter who it is? When Eddie was cheating on me with half of Nevada it really wouldn't have made any difference who he was with, it was the fact that he was with someone who wasn't me that hurt so much."

"I guess you're right. It wouldn't really matter who he is. I'd just like to know who my competition is. I'm going to fight for her, Cath. She is worth any amount of discomfort or humiliation. I'm not going to give up on her."

I sighed and shook my head. The man just wasn't listening. He was determined to cause us more problems. I needed to talk to Sara. I was beginning to feel a little insecure, especially listening to Gil talk about how much he loved her and wanted to be with her. Jealousy was getting hard to ignore and I really needed a break.

"Look, Gil. I need to run to the grocery store and I'll probably visit my mom and my sister while I'm out. You're welcome to stay. Your clothes should be dry in about 10 more minutes. Watch t.v. or help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I just really need to get the shopping done before Lindsey gets home from school." I told him and gathered my purse, the shopping list I had started and my keys and left him sitting on the sofa.

In the car, I called Sara again.

"Sidle" she answered.

"Sara, it's me. Gil is driving me insane. I had to leave the house to keep from just telling him the truth." I whined.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I should handle this so you won't have to." she mumbled.

"No, Sara. That's not what I want. I want to wait until we can do this together, like we decided earlier. I just had to get some time away. He swears he isn't going to give up on you and that he plans to fight for you. I got so jealous I had to leave before I tell him that you're mine and if he wants a fight he'll have one." I could hear the note of jealousy in my voice and I'm sure Sara picked up on it, too.

"I'm almost done here, how about I swing by the apartment for a shower and you meet me there. We can catch up and decide how we want to tell Grissom about us." she suggested and I heard a hint of a smile in her voice.

"I can be there in fifteen minutes." I told her.

"It'll take me twenty at least." she laughed.

"See you there." I told her.

"I love you, Catherine." she reminded me before I hung up. That was what I really needed to hear. I decided to buy a few items from my grocery list and take them with me to Sara's place. The shopping took almost twenty minutes and then I drove to Sara's apartment building and took my grocery bags up with me to her apartment. I rang the doorbell and waited. Two minutes later Sara answered the door with a towel wrapped around her, still dripping from the shower.

"Hey, you!" she said and stepped aside so I could come in. I went immediately to her kitchen and put away everything that had to be refrigerated.

"You bought groceries? Are you moving in, Cat?" she teased.

"If you plan to dress like that all the time, maybe I should." I flirted.

"Well, there's an incentive if I ever needed one." she grinned and leaned in to kiss me.

"I've missed you." I whispered against her lips as she ended the kiss. I pulled her into a tight hug and she kissed my shoulder, then my throat.

"Do we have time for this?" she whispered in my ear before taking the earlobe lightly between her teeth and pulling on it. I trembled and clung to her.

"Nancy is picking Lindsey up from school. We can pick her up there when we are ready." I assured her and she bent her head to kiss me again. I melted into her, enjoying the feel of her body pressing against mine. She was wearing nothing but a towel and the thought of her bare skin, just beneath the towel made my heart beat wildly in my chest.

"Sara, why don't we move this to the bedroom?" I whispered when she ended the kiss. She shook her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"No, not this time. I want you right here." she whispered and I shivered. I felt my knees go weak and I held on tightly to Sara. She seemed to take that as encouragement and moved in closer to me, pushing one firm thigh between my legs. Her long arms rested lazily around my shoulders and she ran one hand down my spine and traced circles on my lower back.

"God, Sara, you're driving me crazy." I whimpered. She had a cocky grin on her face and she lifted an eyebrow at me.

"That was the general idea." she smirked.

"You are so going to pay for this, Sidle." I just had to tease her.

"Yeah, I probably am. But I'm betting it will be well worth it." she said in a low tone and then she kissed me again. I ran my hands up her arms, then reached to loosen the knot in her towel. She caught my hands before I could untie her towel and gave me a smile.

"Impatient, Cat?"

"Getting there." I growled. That only made Sara's smirk reappear. She stepped away from me leaving an inch of space between us and I was chilled and craving her body against me before she spoke.

"I think I'd really like to watch you undress." she told me in soft tone that sounded like she was making a confession she wasn't sure would be well received. I gave her a predatory smile and stepped around her and into the middle of her kitchen.

"Are you sure you don't want to move this into the bedroom?" I teased her. She nodded and stood watching my every move. I kicked off my shoes and slowly started to unbutton my blouse. Sara eyes were riveted on my fingers as they worked the buttons loose. I reached out with one leg and turned a chair around.

"Why don't you sit there and maybe I'll show you how I used to dance. Would you like that?" I suggested and Sara swallowed hard and dropped into the chair, her eyes never leaving my body.

Her towel had parted and revealed her lower body. Only her breasts were still hidden from view but I wasn't about to alert her to the situation. I could entertain her and enjoy staring at her beautiful body at the same time.

"I'll need some music. You stay here, I'll be right back." I told her and made my way into her living room to shuffle through her music collection again. Just as I located an album I liked the doorbell rang. I stepped to look through the peephole and saw Gil Grissom standing on the other side of the door. I quickly slipped the album back into the slot I had pulled it from and went back to the kitchen.

"Sara, you might want to go put on a robe. Grissom is here. We might as well get this over with. Shall I answer the door or wait for you?" I told her. A look of annoyance crossed her face and she shook her head.

"No, I'll let him in. You might want to button up some of those buttons before I get the door, though." Sara looked regretfully at my bra, still visible since I had unbutton my shirt almost all the way down. I nodded and worked the buttons in the opposite direction this time. Sara went to get a robe, calling out to Grissom as she passed through the living room.

"Just give me a minute. I'll be right there."

I was nervous now. Knowing we were about to tell Gil about our relationship, I knew he would be hurt and angry. I was afraid he might say something in anger to hurt Sara, and I knew if he did it would likely end our friendship forever. I took my compact out of my purse and checked my reflection to make sure I didn't look like I'd just almost had sex on Sara's kitchen table. I stepped into the living room just as Sara came out of her bedroom with a long white terry cloth robe wrapped tightly around her. She wore it like armor and marched toward the door with a resigned expression on her face. I stepped up behind her and gently massaged her neck just for a moment.

"It's for the best, Sara. Better he hears it from us than from some gossip around the lab." I told her and she sighed.

"I know." Then she opened the door and stepped back to let Grissom pass through.

He stepped in and stopped to look around a moment. He spotted me and confusion played across his features for a long moment. When he spoke he sounded like a lost little boy.

"Catherine? What are you doing here. I thought you said I should handle this myself." I could only nod in reply.

"Um, Sara and I needed to talk." I finally told him.

"Gil, sit down. There is something I need to tell you." Sara started. Gil was shaking his head, apparently not liking what his brain was trying to tell him. He moved to the sofa and sat stiffly on the edge of it.

"What do you need to tell me, Sara?" he asked in a calm tone. I stepped into his line of vision and reached for Sara's hand.

"Actually, we both have something to tell you." I said and he frowned. Sara looked at me and then back at him, then she cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. She looked ready for a battle.

"You remember when I told you I was already involved with someone? Well, it's Catherine. We've been seeing each other. Not for very long, but it is a serious relationship. For both of us. Right, Cat?" she muttered nervously. I squeezed her fingers and nodded in answer to her question.

"Catherine? You've been seeing Catherine? Sara, you can't expect me to believe that. You and Catherine barely tolerate each other. Look, if you don't want to be with me, just say so. You don't need to invent a relationship to get rid of me." he sighed deeply.

"We love each other, Gil. It's not an invention. We haven't been dating long, but we grew so close to each other so quickly that it really is an important relationship for both of us." I told him. He looked at me like he was trying to figure out what kind of game I was playing. Like he would look at a suspect he thought was lying to him. Finally I saw his face change when the last piece of the puzzle finally fell into place. He saw the way Sara was looking at me and his brain obviously recognized the honest emotion on her face.

"Why would you do this, Catherine? I came to you for advice. I told you how I feel about Sara. You comforted me. You lied to me. How could you let me make such a fool of myself when you knew all along I didn't have a chance with her?" he was shaking with anger. His fists were clenched at his sides and he seemed to be struggling to remain civil.

"I'm sorry, Gil. I wanted to tell you, but I really felt like I should talk to Sara about it first and she wanted us to tell you together." I tried to explain. He shook his head and covered his face with his hands. I guessed that he was about to cry and didn't want to break down in front of either of us. I didn't blame him.

"Grissom, look I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I've loved Catherine for so long, and I thought I'd never have a chance with her. I thought she hated me. I really thought that it might work out with you and me. You seemed like a safe option. Someone who wouldn't harm me. Then when it seemed like you weren't interested I went out with Hank. Then, you kind of seemed jealous about that when you found out. I guess it just kind of made me angry, and I couldn't feel safe and secure with you after that." Sara explained.

"Then when I found out what a loser Hank really was, only Catherine seemed to care. And we started building a friendship of sorts. Okay, I know, we still fought a lot. We will probably always fight a lot. We're like opposites in a lot of ways, but we're good for each other." Sara sighed and looked at me. I shrugged and gave her a wink.

"Look, we've been friends for years. It's awkward right now, but we can work through this. I know this wasn't the best way we could have done this, but we just wanted to go ahead and tell you before someone else did." I told him.

"Other people know?" he asked looking shocked.

"Lindsey knows, and it's only a matter of time before it gets out."

"Lindsey is okay with this? With Sara?", he asked.

"Lindsey loves Sara. She misses her when she has to go to work or when she comes home before she visits us." I couldn't help smiling when I told him about my daughter's reaction.

"Catherine, we've been friends for years. I've seen you go through a lot of bad relationships. I'm afraid you might hurt Sara." he sighed and stood up. He started pacing back and forth in front of the sofa.

"I hesitate to bring this up. I know I might offend both of you, but it has to be said. Sara is fragile. She needs someone stable and secure. And Catherine, you are a volatile woman at the best of times. Has Sara told you about her childhood?"

"Gil, I'm right here! I don't like you talking about me like I'm not here!" Sara practically screamed at him.

"Sara will tell me whatever she needs to tell me when she is comfortable talking about it. I trust her." I told him and reached out to try to soothe Sara's temper. I ran a hand down her back and then back up her arm to her shoulder. She gave me a sad smile, but she calmed down some.

"Sara, I'm sorry. It's just that I believe you two have acted without much thought here. Catherine has Lindsey to consider. Sara, your past has left you damaged in ways that might impair your ability to be a parent." Gil told her and I was ready to explode on him, but Sara sensed the coming storm and gripped my hand. She squeezed my fingers and our eyes met. Her thumb ran lightly across my knuckles and the look in her eyes told me she would handle this one.

"You've always seen me as damaged goods, haven't you, Grissom?" she asked looking at him with a steady, calm expression.

"I suppose that's fair." he conceded with a shrug.

"What my parents did to my brother and me left it's mark. I can't deny that. But, it taught me what not to do to someone you love." she sighed and I saw tears forming in her eyes. She pulled out of my grasp and paced for a moment then came back to stand behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. She leaned forward and I felt her breath against my cheek as she lightly propped her chin on my shoulder and spoke again.

"Catherine is a good parent. Would you agree with that statement?" she asked.

"She loves Lindsey, but I'm not sure she always makes the best choices for her." Gil said in a low voice. He knew that would upset me. I couldn't let it show, now. I knew Sara was going somewhere with this, so I decided to let it play out her way. I just shook my head and looked at the floor for a moment to regain my calm.

"But, she always puts Lindsey first, she works hard and takes good care of her, she spends time with her, nurses her when she is sick. My mom never did that. I think the choices Catherine makes concerning her daughter should be her own to make. She hasn't done anything to harm the child yet. No argument you put forth is going to make this go away, Gil." Sara told him, tightening her grasp on me. She pulled me against her hard and I couldn't stop the gasp of excitement from escaping.

"This is just lust. When it wears off, Catherine will leave you for the next bad boy who catches her eye." he told her and I could feel her confidence drain out of her and her grip on me loosened. I grabbed her hands and pulled them back to where they were.

"I'm not foolish enough to let Sara get away. I know what I've found here, Gil. She is everything I've ever looked for. You were right, I spent a lot of years dating losers. I guess it takes a lot of bad relationships to help you recognize a good one when it finally comes along." I reached up to stroke Sara's cheek and a look of pure jealous rage crossed Grissom's face.

"Gil, we really didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry that you misunderstood exactly what I was trying to tell you. I gave you a chance, Gil, and you didn't make a choice until it was too late. So that was your choice. And this is our choice. If it doesn't work out, we will live with the consequences of our choice. But now, you have to live with the consequences of your choice. You don't get to tell me that Catherine is wrong for me. That is my choice to make." Sara told him. He shook his head and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"She'll hurt you, Sara." he whispered.

"I've been hurt before. I'll survive it. She's worth the risk to me." Sara said without a moment of hesitation. I smiled at her and she rubbed my palm with her thumb.

"Gil, we've been friends too long to let this come between us." I told him and he nodded.

"Yeah, I know. But, I think I'll need some time to adjust to this." he said pointing at Sara's arms around my waist. Sara released me and our eyes met.

"I think we all might need a little time to get used to the way things have changed. But we can be professional. This doesn't have to change anything at work." she said as she paced the floor just behind me.

"Can we just agree to try our best and talk this over in private if we need to change something?" I asked, thinking that Grissom might need more than just a little time. He seemed to be reining in a lot of anger right now. I knew he would go right back to working too much and not eating or sleeping.

"I think that might be the best we can hope for right now." Gil sighed and walked toward the door.

"I'm sorry if I said anything to offend you, Catherine. You've got to understand, I just had to try." he whispered as he passed me. I just nodded and watched him leave. Sara sighed and flopped down on the sofa.

"Well, that ruined a perfectly good morning." she patted the sofa next to her and I sat down beside her.

"You look exhausted. I should probably go pick up Lindsey and take my groceries home. I'll call you tomorrow." I told her and she gave me a crooked grin.

"Oh, and I thought those groceries were for me. I guess this means you're not moving in?" she teased. I laughed and shook my head.

"If I did that I don't think either of us would get any sleep. Rain check on the lap dance?" I smirked at her.

"Definitely! We'll have to save that fantasy for another time. I'm so sorry it got interrupted. I was so looking forward to that." she sighed.

"Well, next time you can be prepared. Bring plenty of cash so you'll have some to tuck into my thong." I whispered in her ear before licking all around the outside of it. She trembled and held onto my waist. Her breath was shallow and fast.

"Do you really have to go?" she whispered.

"No, but you really have to sleep. You could grab some clothes and come home with me." I offered.

"I think you're right. If I did, neither of us would get any sleep. I love you, Cat. I'll miss you." she whispered and I stroked her soft brown hair and stared into those beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"I'll miss you, too. Come by tomorrow after your shift?"

"It's a date." she smiled sleepily.

"I'm going to go now. You need to get some sleep. Promise me you will eat something before you go to work tonight?" I nagged.

"Yes, I promise." she conceded and I went to retrieve my groceries and Sara let me out and locked up behind me.

I stopped by Nancy's place to pick up Lindsey and ended up sitting at her kitchen table with a pint of ice cream, telling her all about my day. She was a little shocked that Sara and I were dating, but she took it well. When I told her about Grissom showing up and almost catching us in a compromising position she actually blushed and coughed.

"I'm sorry, Cath. I'm okay with you and Sara, really I am, but I think this whole dating a woman thing might take me a little while to get used to. I love you, and I'm sure I will love Sara. Just let me get used to the idea before you start sharing details okay?" she sighed heavily obviously embarrassed to have to ask me not to tell her all about my date with Sara, the way I would have if I'd been telling her about one of the loser guys I used to date.

"Yeah, I guess I can give you some time." I sighed. Then I put the rest of my ice cream back in the freezer and went to search for my daughter.

"Mommy, did you talk to Sara? How is she?" Lindsey asked right away.

"She's fine, sweetheart, but she was very tired and she needed to get some sleep. She might come over to have breakfast with us tomorrow after her shift, though." I told her as I helped her make sure her seat belt was fastened.

"Are you going to cook for her, Mommy?" Lindsey asked.

"I guess I could. What would you like, sweetheart?" I told her and she laughed.

"I think we better eat out, Mom. You scorched my oatmeal this morning." she giggled.

"Hey, just because I was a little distracted doesn't make me a bad cook." I whined.

"No, but if you're going on a date with Sara you should take her out somewhere." she insisted and I had to wonder what my ten year old daughter had in mind. I was sure she was planning something, I just had no idea what it might be.

"Have you done your homework yet?" I asked suspiciously.

"Yep! All done. Jeremy helped me with it." she told me and smiled brightly. Oh, yeah, she is definitely up to something.


	6. Chapter 6

Sara's POV

I got very little sleep before I had to be at work again. Dreams about Catherine kept me tossing and turning and then one of my old childhood nightmares left me close to a panic attack, so I showered and dressed and went to work a couple of hours before my shift was due to start. I finished up some paperwork that I had let linger for a week or two and turned it in, then went to swipe a cup of Greg's expensive coffee before the rest of the team arrived. Greg was just settling into a chair with his own cup when I walked into the break-room. He winked at me and smiled.

"Hey, Sara! How's it going?"

"Better once I steal a cup of your coffee." I grinned and he laughed.

"Help yourself. I owe you at least that much." he said.

"You don't owe me a thing, Greg. Anytime you need my help with something, all you have to do is ask." I smiled at him as I filled my mug with his special blend.

"Grissom is in a foul mood tonight. I greeted him on the way in and he nearly knocked my down on his way to his office. He was almost surly. Not at all like himself." Greg frowned.

"Yeah? I think that might be my fault." I sighed.

"Really? What did you do?" Greg asked.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll hear all about it soon enough." I told him just as Warrick and Nick walked in and sat on the sofa.

"You guys seen Grissom?" Nick asked.

"He's in his office. But, I wouldn't go looking for him if I were you. He's really in a foul mood tonight." Greg warned them both.

"Well, I'd kind of like to get started if we have anything open. I have plans for after shift." Nick explained and Warrick nodded.

"Yeah, man, me too."

"Okay, just let me go get him." I sighed and stood up leaving my coffee mug on the table in front of Greg.

"If you're not back in ten minutes we'll come rescue you." Greg promised with a wink.

I stalked off down the hall, getting more pissed off with each step. He promised he would try to keep things professional at work. Now it seems he is taking his frustrations out on random lab workers. I tapped on his office door and stuck my head in. He was sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands looking miserable.

"Hey, you planning to hand out assignments tonight, or should we all just head home?" I teased. He rubbed his temples and gave me a grim look. He gestured to a stack of assignment slips on the edge of his desk.

"Would you mind handing them out? I've got a killer migraine." he sighed and dropped his head again.

"Why don't I get one of the guys to drive you home and we will handle the assignments tonight?" I asked, feeling guilty and wanting to make sure he took care of himself. He shook his head.

"No, I already asked Ecklie about giving the lab to you or Nick tonight, and he said no. He says I can take off when Catherine gets back, but not before then." Grissom groaned and laid his head on the edge of his desk.

"Is this from stress, Gil? Have you eaten anything tonight? Did you get any sleep?" I ask.

"Please, Sara, just hand out the assignments." he pleaded. I nodded and took the stack of assignment slips and went back to find the team and give them each their case for the night.

"Greg, you've got this liquor store robbery." I say handing him the slip.

"So you're our supervisor tonight?" he asks.

"No, but Grissom is sick. He's got a really bad migraine and since Catherine is suspended Ecklie won't give him time off, so I'm stepping in to take up the slack. It's not like I'm getting any more money for it." I explain.

"Ecklie shouldn't have suspended Catherine in the first place." Warrick grumbles. I smile at him and shrug.

"Yeah, well, we all know Ecklie is just afraid Cat will have his job someday. Nick, you have a decomp just outside of Henderson, near a deserted mine, the address is on the slip." I continue and hand Nick his slip.

"Oh, goody! Just what I needed tonight." Nick mutters and takes the slip with a resigned sigh.

"Warrick, looks like you and me get this double homicide at the Econolodge on 9th. Brass will be waiting for us there. You want to drive?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Yeah, I'll drive. So, have you talked to Cath lately?" he asks me and I have to wonder how much he might know. He and Catherine have always been close, but I don't think she has told him anything about us yet.

"Um, yeah, I have actually. She was upset about all this at first, but she's feeling much better about it now. I think she's enjoying having some time off to spend with Lindsey, actually." I ramble as we grab our kits and walk to Warrick's car. He grins and nods.

"I knew she wouldn't let it get her down for long. Cath's a survivor. She is one strong woman." he tells me. I nod and fasten my seat-belt. I'm not sure if I should tell him anything about us. Cat probably wants to tell him herself. They're so close, I'm almost surprised he doesn't already know. I decide to just play it cool and let Catherine tell him when she is ready.

"She's going to be fine, Warrick, but I'm sure she would love to talk to you." I tell him.

We arrive at the cheap motel and pull our gear out of the trunk. I start snapping crime scene photos and Warrick carefully gathers evidence and bags and tags it. I help him dust for fingerprints, since there are always far too many prints at any motel scene. We work in almost complete silence, but he seems to be deep in thought. When we step out and let the coroner's assistant take the bodies. he finally speaks.

"I think the woman was the main target here. Her death was so much more violent than her husband's. Killer did him first to get him out of the way, then took his time with the wife. Killed her really slowly. The husband's death was quick. Throat cut, bloody, but quick. The wife was restrained, tied to the bed and beaten, really looks like she was almost tortured, then strangled." he was talking the case through to work it out in his own mind, I knew. He had to know I had already interpreted the evidence for myself and he just wanted to share his take on it. I nodded in agreement, he had summed it all up pretty well.

"Had to be someone who knew them. There's no sign of forced entry. I'll get these fingerprints to Wendy and see what comes from them." I told him and he helped me load the evidence bags into the trunk of the car.

"How do you want to split the work, here, Sara?" he asked.

"Hey, you're the primary. It's your choice. I'm just backup tonight." I shrugged and he nodded.

"Okay, then, you take the evidence to the lab and call me when we get some results, I'm going to go back over this scene and see if I can find anything that we might have missed. I'll call you if I get something." he decided.

"You got it. Call if you need anything?" I took his keys and hopped in his car to go back to the lab.

"I'll call when I need a ride." he smiled at me and I drove off and left him there with a couple of uniformed officers to work the crime scene again.

I dropped off the evidence at all the proper labs. Warrick called to tell me he got surveillance footage from a convenience store across from the motel which he is sending to the lab so Archie can study it for us. The motel had no security cameras of it's own. The register was no help since the person who rented the room used a false name and i.d. and paid cash. Looked like it might be another long night.

I plugged my camera into my laptop and scanned through the crime scene photos I had taken to see if anything might strike me from the photographs. After about twenty minutes of searching through crime scene photos I was ready for a break and slipped out the back door, a rarely used fire exit really, for some privacy and used my cell phone to call Catherine. She answered in a sleepy voice and I remembered she was on Lindsey's schedule now, not mine.

"Hi, it's me. Sorry to wake you, I just sort of needed to hear your voice." I told her.

"Sara, honey, I told you to call me anytime. I'm always happy to hear from you." she assured me.

"Warrick and I are on a case together. A couple killed in a motel room. A room rented under a fake name with a fake i.d. and I was just going over the crime scene photos and I just really needed to hear your voice all of a sudden." I told her and then found myself crying for some reason. I tried to control the tears. I didn't want her to hear and worry about me.

"Sara, sweetheart, are you alright? Honey, if you need me, I'll come down there. I mean, I know I'm suspended, but you could meet me in the parking lot. We could talk and it might make you feel better." she offered.

"No, Cat, really. I don't want you to get dressed and drive across town for me. I just needed to hear your voice. I love you, Catherine. I think I just needed to tell you that again. I wanted to make sure that you know you are loved." I was sniffling now, and I'm sure I had her worried but I couldn't control the emotional overload.

"Sara, I love you. I would love to make things better for you. If you need something, please ask me. You know I wouldn't deny you anything." she whispered in a soothing tone. I breathed deeply for a moment until I was sure I could control my voice again and then I spoke to her in a soft voice.

"You are so wonderful, and you should know that I feel so lucky that you decided to give me a chance. I'll never take you for granted, Catherine."

"I think I'm the lucky one here, Sidle. I love that you call to remind me I am loved, and the fact that you show me how much you love me almost every time you look into my eyes. Did you know that it shows in your eyes? It scared me at first, but now, it makes me feel safe and secure and deeply loved." Catherine whispered. I closed my eyes and fought another wave of tears.

"No, I wasn't aware that I was that transparent. " I laughed and Catherine laughed with me.

"I like it. At least I'll always know where I stand with you." she sighed.

"Well, I'm glad you like it, since obviously I have no control over it. I should get back to work and let you get back to sleep." I told her.

"Will I see you after shift?" she asked.

"Count on it! I miss you so much it hurts." I told her softly and she had a sexy purr in her voice when she answered.

"I'll leave a key under the doormat. Don't bother to knock, I'm sure you can think of a more interesting way to wake me up."

As if I can think at all the way my hormones are behaving after that. I manage not to sound too much like the pervert I am quickly becoming when I tell her goodbye and assure her that she will see me as soon as I can make my escape from the lab. Then I go back inside and try to focus on my job for the rest of my shift.

Warrick calls when he is ready for a ride and I drive out to pick him up. He drives us back, telling me his theory on the murders as we go.

"Looks like four people were in that room. Two males and two females. So maybe it was some internet hookup thing for swingers." he shrugs.

"I guess that would make sense. But if this is some random strangers just hooking up via the internet, we may have a really hard time finding a suspect. I think we may have a really long list of candidates. Wendy brought up fingerprints on no less than 22 separate people from that motel room. We need to print the housekeeping staff to rule them out." I sighed.

"Well, we're not going to close this one tonight." Warrick grinned at me. I smiled back at him and shook my head.

"No, and we'll be lucky if we finish it by the end of next week." I agreed with him.

"Want to go get a drink after shift?" he asked.

"Um, well, I would, but I sort of already have plans after shift." I admitted.

"Plans, huh? Sara Sidle has a date? It's not one of Nick's old frat buddies is it?" he questioned.

"Eww, no! Hey, I only tried that once. I learned my lesson the first time." I told him and he laughed.

"Well, whoever he is, he's a lucky guy." Warrick told me with a wink. I just shrugged and shook my head.

"I think I'm the lucky one, but you can judge for yourself when we all get together." I told him.

"Oh, so you're actually gonna let us meet this one? This must be serious. You're not getting married are you, Sara?" he teased.

"Well, not yet. But maybe, someday." I told him and he laughed.

"Sara Sidle in love! This is just priceless." he laughed again.

"Alright, already. Enough of your teasing. Give it a rest, or else I'll change my mind about letting you in on my secret first." I warned him.

"So, nobody else at the lab knows?" he asked.

"Well, nobody but Grissom and he is miserable about it. He finally decided he wants to give us a chance, you know after all the time I spent trying to get him to go out with me, and now, when I finally meet the love of my life, he says he wants me." I sighed heavily.

"Is that what was wrong with him tonight?"

"I think it was partly that, since he isn't eating right or sleeping. He had a migraine, probably from stress and the way he is overworking and not taking care of himself. I feel guilty about it too, but I gave him all those chances and he didn't do anything about it." I rambled on and Warrick listened patiently, then finally broke in to offer a little advice.

"Don't feel guilty. It's his mistake, Sara. He has to live with it. Just be happy. You deserve to be happy. I do need to meet this guy though, cause if he hurts you I'm gonna hunt him down and beat some sense into him." I had to laugh, knowing that when he found out it was Catherine I was seeing he would likely threaten me with the same fate if I ever hurt her.

"How about breakfast with the team next Friday morning?" I suggested.

"Seriously? Yeah, you bet."

I knew that Catherine would be back at work by next Thursday evening and would be coming to breakfast with the team the next Friday because she had missed the guys so much. I just needed to convince her that it would be okay to tell them all about our relationship. I didn't want to be her secret, and I sure hoped she didn't want it that way either.

Just as I suspected, though, as soon as all the guys were back at the lab they started talking about it and Warrick just had to tell them that I had a serious romance going and that I was planning on introducing my new lover to them all next Friday at breakfast. I just hoped the gossip wouldn't get back to Grissom.

Greg was relentless when he found out. He was upset because I'd confided in Warrick before telling him about it. Then he pestered me for two full hours to tell him who I was dating and I refused to tell him anything, finally telling him that if he wanted to find out he'd better stop pestering me. He went off to the lab to pout and complain to Wendy. I glanced at her and rolled my eyes and she grinned and winked at me.

I decided to check in on Grissom before I left and found him stretched out on the sofa in his office with a damp towel over his eyes.

"You feeling any better?" I asked in a quiet tone.

"Not much. I did manage to sleep for a couple of hours though." he told me.

"Gil, you need to eat something. I know you get nauseous when you have a migraine, but still if you don't eat something you will only end up feeling worse."

"I don't think I could eat anything without getting sick to my stomach. I don't need mothering, Sara. Especially not from you." he grumbled.

"Maybe not, but you need it from someone, and since Catherine isn't here, that would be me." I pulled the cloth away from his eyes and he winced and groaned.

"Go away. Just leave me alone." he growled and I handed the towel back to him with a sigh.

"Alright, but if you don't take better care of yourself you're going to find one of the boys following you around all the time. Catherine can talk them into anything. If she asks them to babysit you, they will." I tell him and he sighed deeply.

"Sara, don't try to make me smile. I'm more than angry with you. I'm struggling here, Sara. If you really want to help me, then tell me what I can do to get you to give me another chance?" he was suddenly crying and I just stood over him feeling guilty as hell and wondering how I was supposed to handle this.

"I'm happy, Gil. I'm safe and secure and happy and finally after all these years I feel like part of a real family. One that doesn't just want to use me up and toss me aside. Can't you just let me be happy? Can't you try to be happy for me?" I pleaded with him.

"She'll hurt you, Sara." he insisted.

"I'll take that chance." I shrugged and he looked sad and defeated.

"She's been my friend for years, but the moment I really needed her... I just can't believe you chose her over me." he shook his head and winced in pain again.

"She gave me a chance, Gil. I thought there would never be a chance for us, for this... I've loved her for years, but I was afraid she hated me. I would never have tried for anything with her at all, but I couldn't stand to see her in pain. When I realized she was lonely, I just thought I'd take a chance." I explained.

"Can't you see what this is doing to me?" Grissom asked in a broken whisper. I nodded.

"Yes, and I'm sorry. But you can't expect me to walk away from this because it isn't what you want for me." I sighed.

"Catherine has had so many failed relationships since I've known her, Sara. You're going to get hurt. She will use her intimate knowledge against you when you argue. She'll do her best to hurt you when she is angry. You should know all of this about her the way the two of you have been fighting with each other all this time." Grissom shook his head again and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I know her well enough to know that she gets defensive when she feels threatened, and the rest of that behavior you just described is her way of defending herself. I've learned not to take it personally. I wouldn't want her to change, Gil. I love her just the way she is." I told him. He sighed and dismissed me with a wave. I closed his office door quietly and when I passed the break room I stopped by to let Warrick know I was going home.

"Listen, I'm beat. I heading home, now. Could one of you guys check in with Grissom before you leave? He is still pretty wiped out and I'm a little worried about him." I told both Warrick and Nick.

"Yeah, sure thing, Sara. I'll check on him before I leave, and if he's still sick I'll drive him home." Nick offered.

"Thank you, Nick. You're a good friend." I waved at them both and headed for the locker room to take a quick shower. I passed Greg on my way to my locker.

"Heading home, Sara? Or do you have plans with the new boyfriend?" he teased.

"Um, both actually." I raised an eyebrow at him and he actually blushed and left me to finish getting ready.

I gathered my stuff and took a quick shower, then stuffed my bag back into my locker and left for Catherine's place. When I got there, there were no lights on and I searched under the mat for the key Cat told me she would leave for me. I quickly found it and let myself in.

Very quietly I slipped up the stairs and into her bedroom, where I stopped to take my shoes and socks off, before moving to the bed and slipping out of my jeans and the loose t-shirt I had put on after my shower. I lifted the covers and climbed, naked, into her bed. I moved closer to her to discover that she was actually awake and had been watching me undress.

"Good morning, beautiful." I breathed as I leaned in close to kiss her.

"It is now." she whispered back and kissed me hard.

Catherine pushed me back into the mattress and rolled on top of me, her naked body covering mine and we kissed again and again.

"God, Sara, I've missed you so much you just wouldn't believe it." she panted in my ear. I hadn't yet seen her this turned on, but I really liked it.

"I've missed you, too, baby. I've been thinking about you all night." I told her and let my hands roam up and down her body. She shivered and sat up, straddling my thigh. I could feel her, hot and wet against me and she moved slowly, making sure I knew exactly what she had in mind.

"I need you, Sara." she told me in a whimper.

"I know, baby. It's alright. I'm not going anywhere. We've got all day." I assured her. She shook her head.

"No, we don't have long. Lindsey is home, and she has missed you and she'll want to spend time with you, but right now, Sara, it's my turn and I really need you." I nodded, finally understanding her request.

I lifted my thigh, putting pressure on her as she moved against me. I let her take control, since she seemed to know exactly what she wanted from me. Moments later she threw her head back and I heard her making small noises that she was obviously trying very hard to control. I felt her body tremble and then she melted down across my body again and kissed me gently. Her breathing slowly coming back to normal.

"I'm sorry, Sara. I just really needed that. I've been thinking about what I wanted you to do to wake me up ever since our conversation earlier tonight. Do you have any idea how much your voice turns me on?" she whispered.

"Don't apologize, honey. I liked that. I would have loved to tease you and take my time with you, but it's okay, this was fun." I winked at her. Then I kissed her again, a soft slow kiss that I could tell lit her passion once again. She grabbed my hair and held me tightly against her and then she ran her gentle fingers lightly across my breasts.

"I feel like I used you. I'd love to return the favor, but Lindsey will be up any minute now." Catherine whispered in my ear just as I heard little footsteps charging down the stairs in the direction of the kitchen.

"I think Lindsey is up, Cat." I sighed. She smiled and kissed me deeply.

"I'll bet she's gone to see if your car is in the driveway." Catherine pulled the sheets up over us just about thirty seconds before Lindsey came through the bedroom door.

"Sara! I'm so glad you came over. Mom, did you tell Sara she has to stay with us for breakfast?" Lindsey asked and Catherine smiled at her.

"Lindsey, honey, Sara is an adult and I can't make her stay if she doesn't want to." Catherine told the little girl.

"You want to, though, don't you Sara?" she asked looking at me like I would break her heart if I didn't say yes.

"Um, well, I always like to have breakfast with my two favorite girls." I told her and she jumped up on the bed and threw herself across me and into her mother's arms. Catherine dragged the kid off of me and they whispered secret stuff back and forth to each other for a couple of minutes. Then Lindsey extricated herself from her mother's grasp and made her way to the door.

"Sara, you don't like oatmeal do you?" Lindsey asked.

"I eat it sometimes, but it isn't one of my favorites. Why?" I asked her but she just smiled at me, then looked right at Catherine.

"See, Mom. She doesn't even like oatmeal."

"Lindsey Willows, you know I can cook more than just oatmeal." Catherine scolded her.

"Mom, I'm just saying... you should take us out to eat, so Sara won't have to eat something that she doesn't like, then she might come stay with us more often." Lindsey told her in a serious voice.

I had to smile. Lindsey wanted to have breakfast at IHOP. She loved going there and she was trying to convince Catherine that she needed to take us out for breakfast since she said Cat had scorched her oatmeal earlier in the week.

As distracted as Catherine has been, I'm not surprised she may have burnt the oatmeal, but at least her kid got fed something edible before she had to leave for school.

"Lindsey, I think your Mom has done more than enough for us. I think we should make breakfast for her this morning. What do you say?"

"You can cook?" she asked in a voice clearly full of disbelief. I nodded.

"Yes, I can cook. Now, why don't you go see if we have any eggs and I'll just take a quick shower and get dressed. Catherine, you stay right here. We're going to serve you breakfast in bed." I said, and both of them looked at me like I'd just sprouted wings.

Lindsey took off down the stairs and I got up and took a quick shower. I dressed in the same jeans and t-shirt I had worn here after shift and I went down to find Lindsey counting how many eggs were left. I smiled at her.

"Linds, we won't need all of them. I'm planning to make pancakes." I told her.

"But, Sara, we don't have pancake mix." she said sadly.

"Well, give me a minute to look around and see what we do have." I glanced through Catherine's cabinets and fridge and found everything I'd need to make pancakes and I taught Lindsey how to make pancakes from scratch while I mixed all the ingredients together. She seemed to be having fun and when the pancakes were done I put everything on a tray and carried it upstairs to the bedroom.

I had Lindsey run up ahead of me and open the door for me, and the three of us sat on the bed and had breakfast together. Lindsey didn't act like she was disappointed that we didn't go to IHOP, but neither Catherine nor I mentioned it so she wouldn't think I'd tricked her out of it.

After breakfast I helped Lindsey finish up some math homework that she had some trouble with and then Catherine came downstairs and made a fresh pot of coffee. Homework all done, we took our coffee in a thermos to go and we drove to the park to have some fun with Lindsey. Catherine had invited me to spend the entire weekend with them, and I was enjoying it immensely.

Catherine sat on a swing and sipped her coffee while I played frisbee with Lindsey. She laughed at us whenever we missed a throw and made fun of me when Lindsey threw one so low that I had to jump to keep it from bruising my shins.

"I think the idea is to catch it, Sidle, not jump over it." she giggled like a schoolgirl and I just kept thinking, 'How did I get so lucky. This has to be a dream.' She looked so beautiful in her dark jeans and a red baseball shirt. Her reddish gold hair whipping in the wind and her blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

When we finally settled in for a break, I stretched out on the ground on a blanket Catherine had brought and watched her and Lindsey obviously enjoying each other's company. I was amazed at how much love I felt for both of them. Catherine sat down next to me and took my hand in hers.

"Is something wrong, Sara?" she whispered.

"No, everything feels very right. I need to talk to you, though. Adult talk, you know, when Lindsey gets tired, maybe?" I whispered back.

"Not a problem. She's got a good twenty minutes left and then she'll be out like a light." Catherine winked at me.

"How would you know that?" I asked.

"She's had way too much sugar this morning. All the syrup she poured on her pancakes, then the soda pop she drank after your frisbee game. She's due for a crash any minute now." Catherine smiled and sure enough twenty minutes later Lindsey was curled up on the blanket in the shade fighting sleep, but quickly losing her battle.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Catherine started.

"Well, I sort of let it slip to the guys that I'm dating someone and they all really want to meet the person, and I kind of told Warrick we would all get together next Friday for breakfast after shift, so they kind of expect to meet my 'boyfriend' then. I just wondered if you might be uncomfortable with everyone knowing about us. Sorry, I didn't ask that before I talked with Warrick, but I really didn't intend to just throw that out there like that." I told her and she smiled.

"I don't mind telling the boys. I wouldn't mind everyone knowing, but I don't want Gil to feel like we're rubbing it in. I hate what this is doing to him."

"Yeah, that's another thing. Work is going to be awkward for a while. He isn't handling it well." I told her about how sick he was and that I suspected he wasn't eating or sleeping. She looked sad, but she shrugged and gave me a half smile.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, honey. This is Gil's choice to make. You didn't put him here. He got here on his own."

"He hasn't given up yet. He still thinks there might be something he can do to win me back."

"So, nothing we said got through to him at all?" Catherine sighed deeply.

"Doesn't really look like it. But, I know he misses you. He needs a friend more than he needs anything right now, but I think he feels like you were the only friend he could talk to about this, and now I guess he thinks he's lost you, too. It just seems like we made everything harder on him. I can't help but feel a little guilty about it."

"Sara, honey, stop blaming yourself. Life isn't fair. Gil has to deal with reality just like all the rest of us. He isn't good with emotional stuff, but he will have to learn to deal with it now." Catherine leaned in to kiss me and ran her fingers through my hair. I leaned against her and laid my head on her shoulder. She smiled at me and patted a space on the blanket next to her.

"You look tired. Why don't you lie down and rest for awhile." She moved so I was able to stretch out on the blanket and put my head in her lap.

"Lindsey isn't the only one who is crashing." I told her and she smiled and kept brushing my hair with her soft fingers until I fell asleep lying there in her lap.


	7. Chapter 7

Catherine's POV

Saturday was perfect! Sara came by after her shift and we spent the morning at the park with Lindsey. Sara and Lindsey played frisbee and then we all settled down on a blanket under a shade tree to relax. Lindsey fell asleep and Sara and I had a chance to talk, until Sara got tired and settled down to rest her head in my lap and sleep. I had to smile at the sight of both my daughter and my lover lying quietly napping in the shade while I really wasn't even tired.

I watched Sara sleep and kept playing with her silky, dark hair. She looked so relaxed and innocent when she was sleeping, it really transformed her, made her look younger and more vulnerable than I had ever seen her. The depth of my affection for Sara almost frightened me. I wanted to protect her.

I knew some of what she had gone through as a child and could guess about what had happened to her in foster care. She had told me bits and pieces of her life story, mostly after she woke me up with one of her nightmares, but I didn't have the whole story. I was curious about it, but I had decided not to push Sara for information. I would wait until she was comfortable and wanted to tell me about it.

A year ago, if I had been this curious about Sara's life I would have run her name through the database at work to see what came up and I would have read it all before I even talked to her about it. I've matured a bit since then, though and I know that Sara would be hurt if I dug around in her past without her permission.

My cell phone vibrated in my jacket pocket and I pulled it out before the ring-tone started. Warrick's name was on the caller i.d. and I answered in a low tone.

"Willows"

"Hey, Cath! I just wanted to check in with you. You're coming back next week, right? How are you holding up? You need anything?" Warrick asked.

"I'm good, actually. Sorry I'm whispering, but Lindsey is sleeping and I don't want to wake her. It's really good to hear from you, though. I can't tell you how much I've missed you guys." I spoke in a hushed tone and still woke Sara. She smiled up at me and then sat up and stretched.

"Who's on the phone?" she asked in a low tone, but Warrick still heard her and recognized her voice.

"Is that Sara I hear?" he asked. I smiled at Sara and shrugged.

"Warrick." I said to her.

"Yes, that was Sara." I told him.

"So, you and Sara are spending time together, now?" he asked in apparent disbelief.

"Quite a bit of time, yes. We're dating." I told him and gave Sara a wink.

"Dating? You and Sara? Wait, that means you're the one Sara's bringing to breakfast on Friday?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Promise you won't tell the others? I think we'd like to tell them ourselves." I asked him.

"Yeah, sure Cath. I'm glad you told me first. Sara was a bit mysterious about it." he told me.

"Yeah, she said as much. She knows that you and I are close and she thought I might want to be the one to tell you. She's thoughtful like that. I'm so lucky to have found someone like her." I said and Sara blushed and shook her head.

"I think I'm the lucky one." she whispered into my ear.

"I think you're both lucky. You're both good people." Warrick said and laughed.

"Thank you, Rick. We think you're pretty special too." I told him.

"I have to get some sleep now. I know Sara is off tonight, but I have to go in early to get started on that case we had together. Tell Sara I'm off Tuesday night and I expect her to solve this baby while I'm out partying." he laughed. I passed his message along and Sara snorted, then laughed out loud.

"It's good to dream big. Tell him not to hold his breath for that to happen, though." she said loud enough for Warrick to hear and laugh at her words.

"Bye, Warrick. We love you." I said as I finished our conversation. Sara smiled and leaned in to kiss me gently.

"So I take it you decided to tell him about us?" she whispered against my lips. I nodded.

"He'd have figured it out anyway if I hadn't told him, once he heard your voice. It was only a matter of time. Besides, now he won't have the rest of the lab helping him try to figure out who you're dating." I grinned at her and she rolled her eyes.

"You know I can actually picture that happening. Between Greg and Hodges there is no telling what kind of rumors will be making the rounds before Friday." she sighed. I laughed and hugged her tightly.

"Well, baby, we'll put those rumors to rest on Friday. There will no longer be any doubt about who you belong to." I whispered as I kissed her throat and nibbled gently at her earlobe.

"Mom! No mushy stuff in public!" Lindsey scolded me. I hadn't realized my daughter was awake until she caught us and decided we were embarrassing her. Sara laughed and slid a couple of inches away from me.

"Sorry, Linds. That was my fault. Your mom was just trying to make me feel better." Sara told my ten year old. Lindsey looked at her for a long moment then back at me.

"I'm hungry, Mom. Did you bring any sandwiches?" she whined.

"I thought we might get pizza for lunch. How does that sound?" I suggested and she brightened immediately.

"Can we go to Chuck E Cheese?" she beamed. I frowned and Sara chuckled.

"Sounds like fun!" Sara said enthusiastically and winked at me. I shrugged and gave Sara a look that I knew she would interpret as "you'll pay for this later."

"Okay, then. Let's get going." I gave in and we packed up our stuff and put it in the trunk of Sara's car. She drove us to the pizza place and she even spent a couple of hours playing video games with Lindsey at the arcade while I sat and watched them playing and getting more comfortable with each other.

After our lunch and a few more video games we went back home so Sara could finally get some sleep. Lindsey was tired, too so she went up to her room to take a nap and I laid down beside Sara and held her while she slept.

I got up a few minutes before I normally would and went downstairs to make some dinner. I made a huge salad and then made some pasta. I knew Sara wouldn't eat anything with meat in it, so I made the sauce from scratch. By the time the food was ready Lindsey was up and trying to find something on television. I sent her upstairs to wake Sara up for dinner.

"Lindsey, could you run upstairs and wake Sara up and let her know that dinner will be ready soon?" I asked softly and she nodded and ran up the stairs like a herd of wild horses. I rolled my eyes and sighed. At least Sara would probably be awake and expecting her after all that noise.

A few minutes later Sara appeared in the kitchen doorway with a big smile on her face.

"This has been such a great day." she sighed.

"It's not over yet." I winked at her.

"You know, I think I could get used to all this. I love being here with you and Lindsey. I finally feel like part of a family. I love you both so much." Sara whispered as she pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my forehead. I wrapped my arms around her and ran my fingers through her hair.

"We love you, too, Sara. I'm so glad you decided to come over for the weekend." I kissed her lips gently. Sara hugged me tighter and deepened our kiss.

"Are you two at it again?" Lindsey said in a bored voice. We pulled apart and Sara chuckled softly.

"You hungry, munchkin?" Sara teased.

"Yeah, so if you two are done being all mushy, can we eat now?" Lindsey asked, hands on her hips. I had to laugh at her trying to be so grown up. She loved Sara and had started to emulate some of Sara's mannerisms.

"Come help me set the table and then we can eat." I told her and Lindsey went to work helping me get the table ready. Sara poured wine for each of us and juice for Lindsey. We all sat down and had a nice meal together and Sara and Lindsey talked about the math test Lindsey had coming up on Monday. Sara had promised to help her study and they cleared the table after dinner and went over her math homework again while I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.

After dinner we all sat in front of the television and watched a couple of rented movies that Sara had brought over. Lindsey fell asleep leaning against Sara's shoulder. I gently moved her aside and Sara picked her up and carried her to her room and tucked her in without waking her. I stood watching them from the doorway. Sara and I smiled at each other once she had settled Lindsey into bed and tucked the covers around her.

I moved aside as she left my daughter's bedroom and then followed her back into the living room and joined her on the sofa. She opened her arms and I slid close to her and we kissed deeply for a long moment.

"This all feels so perfect." she sighed.

"It is perfect. It's everything I always wanted. I'm just sad that it took me so long to realize how wonderful you are." I told Sara and she smiled and shook her head.

"I think we both needed the time. I think we had to have the bad relationships to learn from. Like you told Grissom, they help us realize how good this relationship really is." Sara pulled me close and hugged me again.

"Are you nervous about how the guys will react?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

"No, they're good men. They'll understand. They love us both, and they will want us to be happy. Are you worried?"

"Not really. Not about the team. Just about how it will make Grissom feel when he finds out they all know. And maybe a little nervous about Ecklie finding out. He isn't crazy about either one of us, you know."

"Do you really think he would try to use this to get one or both of us fired?" she asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised. But, Sara, if that is what happens, I'm ready for it. I'm not sorry. I wouldn't change a moment of it, not even if I knew it would cost us both our jobs. We'll survive, Sara. We might have to find new jobs, maybe move somewhere else, but we will be fine. As long as I have you beside me, I'll never regret making this choice." I told her in a serious voice so she would know that I meant what I said.

"You'd do that? Change jobs and move away with me? Pull Lindsey out of her school and have her start over somewhere new?" Sara asked, disbelief in her voice.

"Of course. I love you, Sara. You're part of my family now. Where you go, I will go. I haven't discussed it with Lindsey yet, but I'm sure she would agree. She's glad we are together. She can tell that you make me happy. You make her happier than she has really been since Eddie died."

"Do you think she has forgiven me for that?" Sara asked softly.

"You did your best, Sara. There was nothing to forgive. I was angry and I took it out on you. I should never have let you think we held you responsible for not closing his case. Lindsey never blamed you for that. I'm sorry I was such a royal bitch to you then." I sighed.

"You're forgiven." Sara whispered and kissed me again. She sifted my hair through her fingers over and over like she was trying to memorize the texture of it while she kept kissing me. I was quickly getting lost in the feel of her body against mine.

"Maybe we should move this up to the bedroom." I suggested, thinking I didn't want Lindsey to wander through to get a drink of water and catch us making out on the sofa. The kid already teased us every chance she got, especially if she thought we might embarrass her in public.

Sara released me and stood up, then held her hand out to help me to my feet. I led her upstairs and once we were inside my bedroom, I very deliberately turned and locked the bedroom door. I wanted no interruptions, and no early wake up calls from my ten year old. When I turned back to Sara she was standing next to the bed, watching me closely.

"I'm so glad you gave me this chance, Catherine." she said in a near whisper.

"Baby, so am I. I couldn't imagine a better partner than you. Today has been so perfect, Sara. You were so patient with Lindsey and I could tell she had a great time today playing games with you and spending time with both of us. Thank you for everything you've done for us both today." I told Sara as I moved closer to her and kissed her cheeks and then her lips.

"I think this is what I've been searching for all my life." Sara whispered softly. She pulled me close and wrapped her arms around me, leaning her forehead against mine.

"I'm so glad you feel that way, sweetheart. Sara, you have no idea how often I've let myself fall for someone I thought was a good match, then found out that he was only interested in my body, or that he resented the fact that I have a daughter."

"They were all fools, Cat. Stupid, blind fools." Sara murmered and kissed me again.

"I love the fact that we've known each other all these years and you really know me. You've seen me at my worst. Put up with my temper tantrums. You really know what to expect and you want me anyway. It just amazes me every time I think about it. You're the perfect partner. I'd given up on ever having this kind of love." I could feel tears beginning to leak from my eyes and I tried hard to control them, but Sara pulled my hand away from my eyes and kissed my face, gently stopping my tears with her lips.

"If I'd thought you would give me a chance we could have been doing this for five years already." she smirked. I smiled at her and kissed her hard.

Amazingly Sara let me take control and our lovemaking was slow and gentle. I spent an hour getting to know every inch of Sara's body and what caused her to gasp and squirm beneath me. She was patient with me, letting me learn how she liked to be touched and giving in to my every request. Before we drifted off to sleep she rolled on top of me and pushed her thigh between my legs, starting a steady rhythm until I lost control and clung to her in desperation, trembling weakly beneath her as my orgasm left me drained and exhausted.


	8. Chapter 8

Sara's POV

"Cat, I gotta go. I'm going to be late." I whined when Catherine refused to let go of me at the door. She had followed me to the front door and gave me a kiss as I was leaving for work, then she clung to me like she was afraid she'd never see me again if she let me go. She nodded and released me slowly.

"Are you coming by after shift?" she asked as if she was afraid I might reject her. I'd never seen Catherine Willows so insecure. I wasn't sure what had caused it but I wanted to change it. I loved her confidence and her attitude and I was afraid she might be losing her edge.

"If it's not a really rough night I'll be by. I'll call to let you know." I told her.

"I'd like you to take this house key, just in case you want to come by and there is no one here or awake enough to let you in." She told me giving me the spare key she had started leaving under the doormat for me. I smiled and took the key from her.

"Okay, but promise if you want it back you'll tell me." I said as I slipped her house key on my keyring and made my exit.

At the lab we all waited around for Grissom and he was late handing out assignments again. He was a real mess and I felt partly responsible for that. He asked if Warrick and I needed any help on our case and then assigned Nick and Greg to help us out, but before he left he turned back looked at me.

"Sara, if you don't mind I really need to see you in my office. It will only take a few minutes." he told me and turned to lead the way to his office. I followed silently behind him and he offered me a seat as soon as he closed the door behind me.

"What's going on, Gil?"

"Nothing. I just.... well, I wanted to apologize for my behavior last week. I was harsh with you and with Catherine. I behaved childishly and I regret it. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Sara. I'm just really bad at dealing with relationships sometimes." he mumbled. He glanced at the floor then back at me and waited for a response.

"I'm not sure what to say, Gil. I'm sorry this has been so hard on you. I know that Catherine misses you and would love to talk to you. About that other stuff, well, you're forgiven. I know this hasn't been easy for you. There's no need to apologize really, just remember we all have to work together and we're supposed to be friends." I told him. He nodded and pulled a folder out of his top desk drawer.

"I've talked to Ecklie and got him to change his mind about Catherine's suspension. She'll be called in tomorrow evening." He said and allowed me to look through the file. This was Catherine's personnel file and I wasn't supposed to have access to it at all. I flipped through it far enough to see that Grissom had taken the trouble to make sure this last disaster didn't show up on Catherine's record.

"Wow! This is a surprise. Catherine will be thrilled to come back to work early. Again, I don't know what to say... thank you, Grissom. I know you and Catherine have been friends for years and I'm sure you know how much this will mean to her." I stood up and leaned across to give him a peck on the cheek so he understood that it meant a lot to me as well. He gave me a sad smile and shrugged.

"I overreacted. I was too harsh with her. Ecklie was just looking for something to tar her work record with. He is afraid that Catherine will take his job someday. He is too blind to see that she wouldn't really want his job. She'd love a promotion but she would prefer to have Ecklie right where he is to take the heat and handle the press." Gil finally managed to give me a genuine smile and I thought how hard this must be for him. I'll bet he's afraid he has lost Catherine's friendship and I'm sure that would hurt him more than losing me.

I thanked him again and went to call Catherine to let her know what I found out, before finally meeting Warrick and the rest of the team to actually work on our case for a change.

****************************************

Catherine's POV

Late Sunday evening Sara left to go back to work and Lindsey and I talked about inviting her to meet my mother and sister and the rest of our family. We had a family event coming up. My mother's birthday would be the following Sunday and she always liked to have the whole family attend church services with her on her birthday and then meet either at my place or my sister's place for a dinner that had been planned and prepared in advance. It was a long-standing birthday tradition in our family and my sister and I had already been planning it. My mother kept dropping hints about the family friends that she would love to have us invite and Lindsey and I decided that we should ask the family before we invited Sara.

"You handle Grandma, I'm not talking to her about Sara. I'll take care of Aunt Nancy and the rest of the family. Aunt Nancy already wants to meet Sara, so I know she won't have a problem with it. Maybe she will help you talk to Grandma." Lindsey suggested. I shrugged.

"It's Grandma's birthday. She isn't going to like any of this. She wants her church friends to come by. She'll be rude to Sara. I know she will. If she hurts Sara, we may have to avoid Grandma for a while. Would you be okay with that?" I asked my daughter. Amazingly perceptive even at ten years old, Lindsey smiled at me and shrugged.

"Mom, relax. Once they meet Sara they'll love her. But, yeah, if Grandma gives Sara a hard time I'm fine with us leaving right then." She grasped my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. I sighed and hugged my daughter tightly until she grumbled and pulled out of my grasp.

"Mom, let go. I'm not a baby anymore."

We curled up on the sofa and watched a video that Lindsey always enjoyed, then I tucked her in and went upstairs to my bedroom to read until I fell asleep. The phone rang just as I laid my book aside and reached for the lamp switch. Glancing at the caller i.d. I saw Sara's number so I answered in a flirty tone.

"Hi, there sexy!"

"Hi, yourself. I had to call. I miss you already. I think I might be addicted to you." Sara sighed.

"I hope so. And I hope you never find the cure for that addiction. I miss you like crazy." I told her.

"Grissom called me in his office earlier and actually apologized for being childish before. He seems to be pulling himself together, but still, I think he really misses you, Cat. You should call and talk to him."

"I would but I'm not really sure what to say to him. He has been so hurt by all of this, and we're close friends so I don't want to make it any worse for him." I sighed deeply.

"Catherine he misses you a lot. He has worked so hard to get this mess off your work record and he got Ecklie to remove the suspension a little early. I'd rather you hear all this from him, though. Just please call him?" Sara told me. I was almost in shock. Gil working to save my career when he thought I stole his love? I promised Sara I'd call him and as soon as I hung up from her call, I did.

"Grissom" he answered, all business.

"Gil, it's Catherine. Sara said I needed to call you. She claims you have some news for me?" I asked.

"Yes, I have some news and an apology for you." he sighed.

"No apologies needed, Gil. We're old friends. I know you didn't mean to be harsh. You were hurt and you got defensive. You're human." I told him gently.

"You're right, but still, I behaved badly and I feel terrible about it. You're my closest friend and I treated you like an enemy. I'm so sorry, Catherine." he spoke softly.

"You're forgiven. I feel bad about coming between you and Sara, but don't think you'll get an apology for that. I love her, Gil. I'd do anything to keep what I have with her." I had to make sure he understood that I was serious about Sara. He sighed softly and I heard him take a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I realize that, Catherine. You won't have to worry about me interfering anymore. Sara is clearly happy. If she makes you happy, too, well, I can't really object. I love you both and want what is best for you." Gil sounded sincere even if I could still detect a note of sad resignation in his voice.

"As long as we understand each other. I have no problem with you maintaining a friendship with Sara. I'm sure she would enjoy that, actually." I told him with a chuckle.

"Geek bonding?" he joked.

"Something like that." I laughed.

"I spoke with Ecklie in your behalf. You'll be called in tomorrow night for your regular shift. There will be no marks on your file for any of this. I think Ecklie was looking for a way to make you look bad." Grissom told me.

"Yeah, and I handed it to him. I was so stupid. This could easily have ruined my career. Thank you for looking out for me, Gil. I owe you." I told him seriously.

"You'd do the same for me." he said softly.

"I love you, Gil. I hope you remember that." I told him in a soft tone.

"Yeah, I love you, too. I've really been worried that I might have ruined our friendship." he told me and I sighed.

"No, I think I understood. If I didn't at first, well, I do now." I told him. We talked shop for a while, he knew I'd want to know what cases were open and everything that might be waiting for me when I returned. After our talk I was exhausted and I collapsed into bed to sleep until my alarm went off.


	9. Chapter 9

Catherine's POV

I was awakened by pounding on the front door just after five a.m. Too early for Sara's shift to be over, and she wouldn't knock since I had given her a house key. I threw my robe on and went downstairs to answer the door. My sister stood on the other side of the door looking tired and worried.

"Nancy? What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"It's Mom. She called late last night and said she was having chest pains. I woke Jeremy up and we went to pick her up and drove her to the hospital. She is in intensive care, Cath. She had a heart attack. We stayed with her until she was stable and I decided this news would be better in person than over the phone." she told me.

"Is she going to be alright?" I asked shakily.

"The doctor says she needs a bypass, Cath." Nancy told me. I sighed and sat down on the sofa, unsure what to say.

"Look, Jeremy is asleep in the car. Let me go bring him in and you and I can make some coffee and talk for a while." Nancy said and went out to retrieve her son.

She steered my sleepy nephew upstairs and put him to bed in my guest room, then came back down to join me in the kitchen. I had brewed a fresh pot of strong coffee and we each poured a cup and sat across the table from each other.

"Her doctor says she needs bypass surgery. She was so groggy from the pain medication that she didn't seem to even know we were with her." Nancy sighed. She looked exhausted and too sick with worry to sleep.

"Maybe we should let the kids stay home from school today. I know Lindsey will want to go visit Mom if she can and Jeremy looked like he really needs to sleep in if he can. I'll call Gil and see if he can arrange a family medical leave for me." I muttered, trying to come up with a plan for the day.

"I thought you were on suspension. What happened to that?" Nancy asked.

"Oh, I was, but Gil persuaded Ecklie to change his mind and got the whole thing erased from my record." I explained.

"Well, Gil must really like you." Nancy grinned.

"We're just friends. You know I'm involved with Sara."

"Yeah, I know. Lindsey talks about Sara all the time. I'm happy for you, Cath, but honestly I have a really difficult time picturing you in a serious relationship with another woman. Sara must really be special."

"She is. Hang around a couple of hours and you might get to meet her." I told her.

"How about I borrow your shower and then join Jeremy for a nap until it's time to meet Sara?" Nancy suggested.

"Sure. I'll get you something to wear. Help yourself to anything you need." I told her and went to search through my closet for something small enough to fit my sister. She is a couple of inches shorter than me so all my clothes are a little long on her, but I found something I thought would look nice on her and laid it out on the bed while she took a shower in my bathroom. I woke Lindsey and told her about her grandmother's heart attack while my sister was finishing her shower.

"Is grandma going to die?" Lindsey asked.

"Grandma has to have an operation, Lindsey. She is strong and stubborn, though, so I think she will come through it just fine." I assured her. We spent a few minutes talking before I told her she didn't have to go to school today.

"Are we going to the hospital to see Grandma?" she asked.

"Yes, honey. I think it might help Grandma get well to know her family is there for her." I told her.

"Is Sara coming with us?" Lindsey asked.

"Well, I don't know. I haven't told Sara about it yet. I'll tell her as soon as she comes home." I explained. Lindsey nodded and yawned.

"Why don't you try to get some more sleep. Sara won't be home for another hour or so. I'll wake you up when we have breakfast ready, okay?" I offered. Lindsey stretched sleepily and settled back into her bed to nap until Sara arrived.

I busied myself with housework until Sara arrived and I met her at the door. One look at me and Sara knew there was something wrong.

"Baby, what's wrong? I saw your sister's car in the driveway. Has something happened to Lindsey?" she asked immediately.

"No, honey. Lindsey is fine. My mother had a heart attack. Nancy and Jeremy took her to the hospital late last night, or early this morning and sat with her until the doctor came back with some news. She showed up here this morning to tell me in person and we decided not to send the kids to school today." I told her and took her in a warm hug.

"I'm so sorry, honey. Is there anything I can do for you." she asked.

"No, I'm making breakfast now and when it's done you can wake Nancy and the kids. Nancy and Jeremy are in the guest room. Lindsey has already asked if you are coming to the hospital with us, but I can tell by looking at you that you had a rough shift. You should have breakfast with us, then take a shower and get some sleep." I told her. She shook her head and I saw the stubborn set of her jaw and that expression she always gets before she gets really hard-headed about something.

"You and Lindsey are my family. I need to be with you both in case you need me for anything." Sara argued. I knew there was little reason to argue with her. She wouldn't rest even if I didn't let her come with us, so she might as well be with us today.

"I won't argue with you, Sara. We both love you. If you want to come along you are welcome to be with us today." I told her and hugged her again, then released her and went back to the kitchen to check on the toast. Too late to keep from burning it, though.

"Here, sweetheart, let me do this. You go wake your sister and the kids." Sara told me and threw the toast away and started over with breakfast.

I knocked lightly on the door to the guest bedroom, then stuck my head in and whispered softly.

"Nancy? Are you awake? Sara is home and making breakfast for us. Do you want to come downstairs and meet her before I wake the kids up?" I heard her groan and her voice was hoarse when she answered.

"Yeah, Cath. Give me a minute to pull myself together and I'll be right down." I closed the door softly so I wouldn't wake my nephew, though I really didn't need to worry, since lately that boy could sleep through anything. I think a train could come right through his bedroom and not wake that kid up.

I went back downstairs and found Sara setting the table for five people. She had coffee started and a pile of toast on a plate in the center of the table. She had a skillet on the stove where she was making bacon and scrambled eggs. Looked like enough food to feed a small army. I'm guessing Sara didn't eat tonight while she was at work and now she is starving and making enough food for the whole neighborhood. I made my way over to her and wrapped my arms around her from behind. Stretching up so I could reach her earlobe with my teeth I started teasing her with my hands under the light cotton t-shirt she was wearing.

"Cat, honey, I'm cooking. Your sister and the kids will be down soon." she tried to discourage me, but I kept teasing her.

"I've missed you, Sara. I need some attention." I told her and she reached out to turn the stove off and turned to me with a spatula still in her hand.

"I've missed you, too, sweetheart, but we can't do this right now." she whispered and then she kissed me anyway. We both groaned when her lips made contact with mine and when my eyes opened again I saw my sister propped against the doorframe, smirking in my direction. She never said a word, though.

"Um, Sara." I protested when Sara tried to kiss me again. I took a step back from her and she met my eyes and blushed.

"Sara, this is my sister, Nancy." I told her as she turned and Nancy stepped into the kitchen and held a hand out to greet Sara.

"And, Nancy, this is Sara." I finished as the two of them shook hands and Nancy looked Sara over.

"I've heard a lot about you, Sara. Lindsey is crazy about you. And, I'm betting Catherine is too, since normally I would have heard more from her than I have. It's good to finally meet you. Welcome to the family, by the way." Nancy told Sara.

"I'm glad to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you as well. Catherine says she couldn't have made it without all your help over the years. I'm glad she has a sister she can count on." Sara replied.

"Sara, honey, I think the eggs might be overdone." I interrupted. Sara hurried over to finish breakfast for the five of us and Nancy winked at me and made a gesture for me to follow her into the living room. I knew she wanted to tease me a little about Sara, but I went along since I didn't want her teasing me in front of Sara.

"She's younger than I thought she'd be." Nancy started off.

"So, you think she's too young for me?" I asked in a hushed tone. She shook her head.

"That's not what I'm trying to say, Cath. She seems to really care for you. Age is just a number. I'm just a little surprised she's so young and good-looking. I guess I expected her to be more masculine. You know, more like the men you normally date. I just didn't expect her to be so feminine. You're really serious about her aren't you, Cath?" she asked in near disbelief.

"Yes, of course, I'm serious about her. I'm in love with her." I told her. I hadn't noticed Sara walk into the room and I hadn't bothered to lower my voice.

"Uhh, is everything alright here?" Sara asked and when I looked at her I could see a blush still burning her face.

"Everything is fine, baby. We'll be in as soon as I wake up the kids." I told her and motioned for Nancy to go up the stairs first. She hurried off to the guest room to wake her son, while I went to wake Lindsey and we all went back to the kitchen to enjoy the enormous breakfast Sara had made for everyone.


	10. Chapter 10

Sara's POV

When Catherine told me her mom had a heart attack I got scared. Not that I'm that close to Catherine's mother, I've never really spent much time with her. She doesn't seem to trust me. And I know she doesn't know about our relationship yet. I just worry about how this will effect both Catherine and Lindsey. They are my family and I'm afraid I won't be able to help them when they need me. Catherine tried to tell me I should get some sleep, but I ignored that. I need to be with my family right now. Besides I have about two months worth of vacation time I can take if I need to. Grissom wouldn't dare argue with me about it at this point. I swear the man acts like he is afraid of me lately.

Then just as I was getting nervous about what Catherine's sister thought of me I walked into the living room and overheard Catherine telling her sister that she was in love with me. I know they both noticed me blushing. I didn't know what to say. This is going to be awkward. I'm really bad at social situations. Maybe Catherine was right and I should just stay here and sleep? But somehow that just feels wrong. I feel like I belong with Catherine, no matter how uncomfortable this family stuff makes me. I'll deal with her family, even if they all hate me, because I need to be with her and Lindsey. They are my family and I won't abandon them just because I feel unwanted. Not that her sister has given me any reason to feel that way. At least not yet. She looked me over like she couldn't believe that Catherine chose me. I can't help but wonder what she says to Catherine as soon as they end up alone together. That will be an uncomfortable conversation, I'd bet.

Breakfast wasn't perfect. I overcooked the eggs and by the time I finally sat down to join everyone my coffee was cold. I didn't complain, though, since Catherine made the coffee just the way I like it and I kept trying to make sure everyone had enough food. I guess I was trying to make a good impression on Nancy. I'd hate to know that Catherine's sister didn't like me. She's been friendly enough. She ate two servings of the scrambled eggs even though I overcooked them. She said my food was much better than what Catherine usually serves her. I think she was trying to tease Cat with that comment, but it wasn't successful because Cat is so worried about her mom she really wasn't listening to anything that wasn't intentionally directed at her. Lindsey laughed when she said it, though and reached over to take my hand.

"Sara is a really good cook. And she's really smart, too. She helps me with my homework and helps me study for tests." she started chattering and I looked at Catherine for help changing the subject, but she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts and didn't notice that her daughter was on a tangent that was sure to embarrass at least one of us any minute now.

"Um, Linds, if you're done with your breakfast you should go take your shower and get ready. We'll need to get going soon." I told her, mostly to get her to stop bragging on me to her aunt.

"Okay, Sara." she smiled and put her plate in the sink on her way back to the bathroom to do as I had asked her. I glanced across the table and Nancy actually winked at me.

"Well, it's easy to see that Lindsey loves you. I have a hard time getting her to go take her shower, and you ask her once and there she goes. You're very good with her, Sara." she smiled at me and finally Catherine noticed that I had been dragged into a conversation that was making me uncomfortable and she spoke up.

"It's amazing how having Sara around has improved Lindsey's attitude. She and I were fighting all the time until Sara and I got together and now she is so much easier to get along with. Sara has been really good for her." Catherine said.

"Good for you, too. Believe me, Cath, I can see it just by looking at you. I'm happy for you. I'm so glad you finally found what you've needed for so long." Nancy told her and then they were both looking at me. I felt my face flame again and I stood and started clearing the table.

"Hey, wait. I wasn't done yet!" Jeremy complained when I took his plate.

"Oh, sorry." I muttered and handed it back to him. I heard Catherine and her sister both giggle at that and I went and started running water to wash up the breakfast dishes. They brought the coffee cups in for me to wash and then Catherine followed her sister into the other room. I heard Nancy make a comment that sounded like "she's very cute when she blushes." and I couldn't help blushing again. Jeremy brought his plate in when he was done and as he handed it to me, he shrugged and nodded in the direction his mom and aunt had gone.

"Don't let it bother you. They like to do this kind of stuff. Lindsey is lucky. You're really kind of cool, you know, for your age. Can I call you Aunt Sara?" he mumbled. Not sure I heard him correctly I just nodded.

"Um, If that's what you want. Yeah." I told him. He nodded and wandered off upstairs.

Catherine came in to check on me a few minutes later. She walked up close behind me and ran her fingers along my arms from my wrists to my elbows before wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me against her body. She sighed when our bodies made contact. I could feel her breasts pressing against my back and it was making me breathe hard.

"Honey, I didn't mean to embarrass you. Nancy has been wanting to meet you since I told her about us. She likes you, Sara. She meant what she said, she's happy for us. Don't worry about what my family thinks of you. Lindsey and I love you and no matter what, you are a part of our family." she whispered against my cheek. I nodded and turned to look into her eyes.

"I know. And your nephew just asked if he can call me Aunt Sara. I think, if this was a test, then I must have passed it. Now there's just your mom to be concerned about, I guess." I told her and she smiled at me.

"Well, maybe we should introduce you and break the news while she is all strung out on the pain meds she is on right now." she laughed.

"Well, at least she couldn't say then that we hadn't told her." I shrugged and she kissed me quickly and let me go.

"I need to go take my shower and get ready. You want to join me?" Catherine invited.

"Um, do you think we should do that with your sister and your nephew in the house?" I asked.

"I'm offering to let you shower with me, Sidle. I didn't try to seduce you on the kitchen counter." Catherine replied, raising an eyebrow and shaking her head.

"Well, I could use a shower. But, you know what usually happens when we shower together? Right?" I muttered.

"Not this time, Sara. Not that it won't be tempting, but we have to get ready soon. Come on." she told me in a serious tone. I sighed and followed her upstairs. She held my hand like I might change my mind if she didn't lead me into the bathroom.

Once we were in her bathroom, Catherine adjusted the water temperature and quickly undressed. I took a long moment to admire her beautiful milky white skin and quickly shed my own clothing and followed her into the shower. She wet her reddish gold hair and handed me a bottle of shampoo.

"Would you wash my hair for me, Sara?" she asked in a soft, almost shy tone.

"Yeah, sure. No problem." I told her and measured out the shampoo in my hand and started to work it into her soft hair. She whimpered softly and I had to bite my lip to keep from letting this turn into an erotic experience.

"That's very nice, Sara. I like the way that feels." Catherine told me in a soft voice and I could tell she was struggling to keep me from knowing exactly how much she really did like it. I smiled when she looked at me and rinsed my hands, then stepped around her to let her under the spray again.

"It's time to rinse it out now." I told her and started to soap my body while she rinsed her hair. I was almost halfway done when she wrapped her arms around me and intercepted the soap.

"Here, let me help you with that." she whispered in my ear. Her tone was very seductive.

"Cat, we really shouldn't. Your family is downstairs." I reminded her.

"Our family, Sara, and I already know that. You're right, we really shouldn't. But, honey, you are really hard to resist when I watch you rubbing soap all over that gorgeous body." she sighed.

"I tried to tell you this would be faster if we didn't try to share." I told her and she gave me a cute little pout just before she leaned in and kissed me.

"Maybe I just needed a little Sara time." she explained against my lips.

"Anytime, my love." I assured her and kissed her gently as I gripped her arms and put a little distance between our naked bodies.

"You know, I think maybe I should just rinse off and let you finish showering alone." Catherine admitted. I nodded my agreement and she finished rinsing herself and stepped around me out of the tub onto the bath mat, quickly wrapping herself in a towel. When I finished my shower she was blowing her hair dry and had already finished getting dressed. I slipped on a pair of jeans and a black tank top, then stepped into my most comfortable pair of sneakers. I decided to let my hair dry on it's own, since I really didn't care how it looked. I was sure her mom would be too out of it to realize who I was anyway, let alone notice my hair.

Catherine was still in the bathroom when I went downstairs. Lindsey was dressed and ready to go and she was telling her aunt all about the day we spent in the park. Nancy smiled at me when she saw me step off the stairs.

"Sara, Linds was just telling us about your family day. She hasn't been this happy in a long time. I think you're exactly what this family has been missing." then she stood up and crossed the room. I thought she meant to shake my hand, so I held it out toward her, but she shook her head.

"Sara, you're family now. Give me a hug already!" she said and wrapped her arms around me. She squeezed me a little tighter than I was expecting and when she released me she whispered softly enough that Lindsey couldn't overhear.

"Just make my sister happy. She deserves that, Sara." I just nodded and glanced around the room to see if the kids were paying attention. Just my luck they both were and they looked amused by the situation. I sighed and moved out of Catherine's way just as she was coming off the stairs.

"Okay, is everybody ready?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I winked at her.

"Nancy, we'll follow you in Sara's truck." Catherine told her sister and she went to the kitchen and loaded a bag with bottled water and a thermos of the coffee we still had left from breakfast. She tossed in a couple of granola bars for each of us and a couple of cans of Lindsey's favorite grape soda.

"Sara you should try to get some sleep. I'll drive us there and we'll wake you when we get there." Catherine told me as she buckled Lindsey into the back seat. I settled into the passenger seat and let it back as far as it would go, so I could close my eyes and rest for a while. Lindsey was already halfway to the door with Nancy and Jeremy when Catherine managed to wake me up.

"Come on, let's catch up with the rest of the family." She said with a slight smile and handed me the bag she had packed. It was surprisingly heavy, but I didn't complain. I was along to help Catherine out with whatever she might need from me.

"Cat? I'm really sorry you're going through this right now. I just really wish I could be more help. If there is anything you need me to do, Cat, you know that you only need to ask, right?" I told her before she left the car. She met my eyes and the look I saw on her face was something like relief.

"Yes, Sara, I do know that. And I love you even more for that." she whispered softly and leaned across the car to kiss me. It was a soft, sweet kiss, one with no sexual intent, meant only to convey her emotions. I couldn't believe that I finally had the family I always wanted. It seemed too easy, somehow and I was afraid that something would happen to destroy our happiness, simply because that is what I had learned to expect growing up the way I did.

I took the bag Catherine had given me and locked up my car as Catherine led me toward the hospital entrance and up to the I.C.U. waiting area. She spoke with a nurse breifly and we joined Nancy and the kids in a row of seats near the nurses station. Nancy was knitting something to pass some time. Jeremy had headphones and a portable video game system. Lindsey was napping across Catherine's lap before we had been settled in ten minutes and I pulled out a forensic journal I had shoved in Catherine's bag before we left the car. Half an hour passed before one of the nurses came to inform us that the doctor would like to meet with the family now.

We all gathered our stuff and filed down the hall and into a small conference room they had set up for just this kind of meetings. The doctor was waiting for us when we came in. He rose from his desk and shook hands with me, Catherine and Nancy and introduced himself as Doctor Richard Mitchell. He was a surgeon and would be the one performing Lily's bypass surgery. He explained the procedure and what it was meant to accomplish, then told us that it was a necessary surgery for Lily.

"Mrs. Flynn needs a very serious surgical procedure. Without this she has little chance of recovery. Her arteries are blocked and if we allow her to leave the hospital without this surgery, I'd guess she would suffer another heart attack within the year. One she might not survive." Doctor Mitchell told us. Catherine and Nancy looked at each other and both of them nodded.

"Do we need to sign some paperwork, or something?" Catherine asked.

"I already took care of all of that, Cath." Nancy told her.

"We wanted to give her family a chance to visit with her when she is awake, before the surgery. She is still on low-level pain killers, but she will be more aware of who is there and what is happening than she was last night." Doctor Mitchell explained.

"You can all go back together for a few minutes, but after that only two at a time can visit her until after her surgery." he told us, then asked if any of us had more questions. Nancy told him she understood the procedure and had explained it to her son and her sister this morning.

Lindsey seemed too shy to ask the doctor anything but I could tell she was curious about what was about to happen to her grandmother. I reached over and squeezed her thumb between two of my fingers and she glanced at me, then I gave her a small smile and a wink. I just wanted her to know she could ask me anything.

We moved back to the waiting area until a nurse came to inform us that we could visit Lily for about 10 minutes as a group, then go back two at a time to visit with her until they had to prep her for surgery. We all stood and filed back to the cubicle where she was lying in a large hospital bed with tubes and needles connecting her to several monitors and machines all around her bed. She was pale and looked exhausted and like she might still be feeling some pain. I had actually met Lily on several occasions, but she didn't have any idea that Catherine and I were even friends. The idea of us dating just might kill this woman. I glanced at Catherine and she seemed to read my uneasiness. She just shook her head and pulled my hand into hers, gripping it gently, but firmly with her fingers.

Lily was awake and seemed to be aware of everything around her, so I was sure the confusion on her face had to do with my presence there, and the fact that I was now holding hands with her oldest daughter. She had a grimace of what looked like pain on her face and she barely glanced at Catherine, then looked to Nancy for an explaination.

"Mom, how are you feeling?" Nancy said.

"Sore all over. Tired. A little confused." Lily sighed and glanced at Catherine again.

"Mom, this is Sara Sidle. You remember her, don't you? Sara and I have worked together for years." Catherine told her mother, but didn't release her grip on my hand. I smiled in Lily's direction and tried to lighten things up just a little.

"We've met several times, Lily. Mostly at the Crime Lab, when you came there to pick up Lindsey." I reminded her gently.

"Oh, I remember now. You bought Lindsey some lunch that time she had to stay there late. Sara, you and Catherine are partners, now? I thought you two really didn't get along well?" Lily asked looking again at our joined hands.

"Mom, Catherine and Sara are dating. Catherine and Lindsey are both really happy now, and I think we should all welcome Sara to the family." Nancy told her mother. Lily just looked back and forth from Nancy to Catherine, then back at our linked hands. I pulled my hand out of Catherine's grasp and stepped closer to Lily.

"I love them both dearly, Lily, and I promise I will never do anything to hurt them." I told her, looking right into her eyes.

"You seem like an intelligent person, Sara. I don't know you well, but I can see that you are important to Catherine and to Lindsey. If Nancy thinks you're good for them, I'll have to take her word for it, for now. Once I'm out of this hospital bed I'll have to spend some time getting to know you for myself. Until then, well, I can't deny Catherine and Lindsey something that so obviously makes them both happy." She sighed and looked at Nancy again.

"And just how long have you known about this?" she asked. Nancy glanced at Catherine and then at Lindsey, then faced her mother again.

"Almost from the start. Catherine needed someone to confide in. What else are sisters for?" she shrugged.

"Mom, really, once you know Sara, I just know you're going to love her as much as the rest of us do." Catherine told Lily.

"Yeah, Grandma, give her a chance." Lindsey whined.

"Hey, everybody give Aunt Sara a break here. Can't you guys tell you're embarrassing her?" Jeremy spoke up. Both Lily and Nancy stared at the boy when they heard him call me that. Nancy started laughing. Lily seemed stuck with her mouth open at her grandson's easy acceptance of me into the family.

"Well, I guess we don't have to worry that you might have a problem with Sara, son?" Nancy asked him.

"Heck, no! She's cool! Lindsey's really lucky." Jeremy said looking at his mom first, then his grandma. Catherine was smiling at me and she squeezed my fingers again.

"Look, it doesn't matter who might have a problem with Sara. She is a member of this family. Lindsey and I won't let anyone drive her out. She's too important to us. But that isn't what we're here for today. We're here to support you, Mom. Has your doctor explained the surgery you need to have?" Catherine finally ended the discussion. I squeezed her fingers to let her know I was grateful for the topic change.

"Yes, he explained it all. He also told me I would need family to take care of me for about six weeks after the surgery. Both of you work too much for that. I don't know what I will do. I guess you'll have to put me in a nursing home." Lily sighed in resignation. Both Nancy and Catherine protested that idea.

"Look I know neither of us can do the full six weeks, but we can take turns taking care of you. You can stay with us and Nancy can come over to stay with you and the kids when Sara and I are working." Catherine told her.

"That might just work." Nancy agreed.

"But what about when you're trying to sleep? Catherine you haven't thought about what this might involve." Lily protested.

"Um, I hate to interrupt here, but I've got loads of vacation time pending. I can take off and help out with this whenever I'm needed." I offered and Catherine looked at me like I'd rescued her from a dragon or something. A smile formed on her lips and she looked into my eyes.

"Are you sure that's how you want to use your vacation time, Sara?" Nancy asked.

"I probably wouldn't use it at all, otherwise." I told her truthfully. Catherine nodded to let her sister know that I wasn't just offering to be nice.

"Well, I guess that is one way for us to get better acquainted, Sara." Lily laughed.

"Ladies, I'm sorry but I have to ask you to step out now and let her rest for a bit. You can come back two at a time later on to visit her before her surgery." the head nurse informed us and stood to make sure we all left the room.

Just before I left Lily called my name and when I glance back she signalled for me to step close again.

"Sara, I just needed to tell you that I'm glad Catherine found someone like you. She seems really happy for the first time in years. Lindsey seems happier than I've seen her since her father died, too. Even though I don't know you well, I'm glad you're there for them. Sara, if something happens, if I don't make it throught this surgery, promise me you'll take good care of them both." she grasped my arm and waited for an answer.

"I'm here to stay, Lily. Nothing is going to happen to you. But you don't need to worry. I'll always do my best to protect Catherine and Lindsey. I love them both very much." I assured her and she released me with a wink.

"I can tell you are an honest person, Sara. That makes me feel much better about having you as part of the family. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you earlier." Lily told me in a soft voice.

"Don't worry about it. Get some rest and just get better. Nancy and Catherine are worried for you. They both need you to get through this. So stop talking like something might happen to you. It scares the kids to hear you say stuff like that. Lindsey is only ten, she doesn't need that kind of pressure." I scolded her gently. She smiled and nodded.

"I have to say, Catherine's taste is improving. She really picked a good mate this time." Lily smiled and I heard the nurse clear her throat.

"Okay, got to go catch up to the rest of the family. You take care, Lily." I said and then just on impulse I leaned down and gave her a hug.

"You've got a lot to live for." I whispered against her temple as she returned my hug.

"Yes, it seems I really do." she laughed. I rushed out to find the rest of the group before the nurse decided to have me escorted out by security.

Catherine was pacing back and forth near the chairs where Nancy and the kids had settled in again. She stopped the pacing as soon as she noticed me leaning against the wall watching her.

"Sara, are you alright, honey? What did she say to you?" she asked, her voice full of concern. I smiled at her.

"She just wanted to make sure I knew that she expects me to take good care of you and Lindsey. She accepted us Cat! She welcomed me to the family. And, she said it seemed like your taste has improved" I smiled at her.

"My mother said that to you?" Catherine asked in apparent disbelief.

"That and that she is glad you found a good mate. Oh, she also said she's glad to see both of you so happy and I guess she thinks I'm responsible for that."

"Well, I guess I spent needless hours worrying about her reaction, then. I figured she would really be hard on us both for this. My mom has never been trusting of other women. Female friendships make her suspicious. She thinks all women are just out to take whatever they can from you and betray your trust as soon as possible. I can't believe she accepted you so easily." Catherine shook her head and started pacing again.

"Cat, honey, you're wearing the floor out. Come sit down and let's think about how we're going to arrange to move your mom into the guest room for her recovery period."

"Sara, are you sure you want to spend your vacation time taking care of my mom? She can be a real handful." Catherine warned. I laughed.

"Well, now I know where you get that, then." I chuckled. She made a face and pinched my arm.

"Not funny, Sidle." she pouted.

"God, you're so cute when you pout." I couldn't help teasing her.

"You two are adorable together." Nancy smiled at us and Catherine glanced at her and back at me with a soft smile I recognized only from the looks she'd give me sometimes just after we made love. Apparently Catherine was very pleased with me right now.


	11. Chapter 11

Catherine's POV

We spent the entire morning and afternoon at the hospital. Around 4 p.m. I called Grissom at home, since I knew he would be getting ready for work. He always goes in early. I told him what happened with my mom and asked if he could arrange a family medical leave for me so I could spend some time with her.

"Of course, Catherine. And if you need anything I can help you with, please call me." Grissom assured me.

"You've been a big help already, Gil. Thank you, again. I'm so glad this situation with Sara didn't end our friendship. I've really missed being able to talk to you." I told him. I heard him sigh at the mention of Sara's name, and I knew he still wasn't over her. He didn't linger on the subject long, though.

"I've missed you, too, Cath. I'm really sorry to hear about your mom. I know how close the two of you are."

"She's strong. She'll come through it just fine. She was trying to intimidate Sara just this morning from her bed in the I.C.U. I don't know why we thought this might be a good time to tell her about us, but we told her this morning. When the rest of us left the room she told Sara she was glad I finally found a good mate. Gil, I could hardly believe how well she handled it all. And to think I was so worried about her reaction. Turns out she really does want me to be happy after all." I just couldn't stop myself from sharing what I considered good news with my oldest friend.

I knew I shouldn't have mentioned Sara's name again after he changed the subject that way, but I needed someone to share this with and I ended up wishing I had just called Warrick to talk about it with him instead. I got off the phone with him after that, without feeling like I had to apologize for having a life and being happy when I knew it was making him miserable.

He assured me again that he would take care of the paperwork for my leave of absence. I didn't mention that Sara was probably going to be using a lot of her vacation time to take care of my mom. I figured that would put us right back where we were before his apology to Sara.

I joined my sister when she went back to visit mom. Lindsey and Jeremy had just come back in when I got back from making my phone calls. Sara insisted she would keep the kids company while my sister and I visited. We spent about 15 minutes with mom and before we left she told me much the same thing Sara had told me about their conversation earlier.

"You tell Sara I want to talk to her again before they come take me up to surgery." she told us both as the nurse was asking us to leave. I nodded and assured her I would pass along her message to Sara.

"Why would she ask to see me?" Sara asked when I told her what Mom had told me. I shrugged in reply and glanced at Nancy.

"My guess is she wants to know more about you. I mean, when you think about it, you've really had a major impact on this family in a very short period of time. I think Mom just wants another chance to learn more about you, Sara." Nancy told her.

"I guess that's a fair statement." Sara admitted. She rolled her head around to relieve a bit of stress, shrugged her shoulders and stood to take her turn visiting my mother. I gave her a warm smile and squeezed her fingers in support. As soon as Sara left the room, Lindsey turned to look at me.

"Mom, why didn't you go with Sara? If I knew you weren't going with her I'd have offered to go back with her. You shouldn't just let Grandma say whatever she wants to Sara. What if she is mean to her? Sara might leave us." Lindsey whined.

"Linds, honey, Sara is a grown woman. She can take care of herself. And nothing that your grandmother can say to Sara would make her leave us. Sara loves us. She's not going anywhere." I assured my daughter. Sara was back ten minutes later and she sat between me and Lindsey and ran her fingers along my arm to get my attention.

"The nurse says they're about to take her up to prep her for surgery. She wanted to talk to me about you and Lindsey. She asked if I could put up with three of you in one household. I told her she is welcome to come stay with us as long as she needs to. She seemed to be considering it." Sara whispered so that she knew I could hear her, but thought Lindsey couldn't.

"That's a good idea. If Grandma stays with us she can't help but love Sara like we do, can she mom?" Lindsey spoke up in an excited tone.

"We'll find out, sweetheart. Grandma will be with us for at least six weeks. I assume the whole family will be spending more time with us since she will be living with us." I smiled at Sara and she looked from me to Lindsey and back again.

"I should probably call in tonight and I'll go to work tomorrow and set up my vacation time so I can help take care of your mom." Sara told me. I nodded and she stood and pulled her cell phone out and headed for a private spot where she could complete her call. I was a bit worried that Grissom might try to keep her from taking the vacation time she wanted to take, but Sara seemed sure that it wouldn't be a problem.

I managed to get a little sleep after Sara returned. I rested my head on her shoulder and was out like a light within minutes. I woke up a couple of hours later when Sara tried to move me so she could go get us some coffee. Lindsey had settled down in her chair and drifted off to sleep. Jeremy was still engrossed in his video game and my sister had been knitting the whole time. She glanced up when Sara left to get the coffee and I knew she wanted to talk, but not in front of the kids.

"How about we take a walk together when Sara gets back?" Nancy suggested.

"How about you let me have my coffee first, then we can take a walk and have that talk I'm sure you want to have." I winked and smiled at her. She smiled too and nodded.

"Yeah, you'll probably be easier to talk to after a cup of strong coffee anyway." she conceded.

Sara came back with two steaming cups of strong hot coffee. She made mine just the way I like it. I took a long sip and sighed with pleasure, then gave Sara a smile and brushed my fingertips across her arm. She smiled in return and sat silently enjoying her coffee. When I finished my coffee I handed the empty cup to Sara and told her that Nancy and I needed to stretch our legs.

"Do you mind watching the kids for a few minutes?" I asked softly and Sara shook her head.

"It's no problem, Cat. That's what I'm here for." Sara insisted. Nancy smiled at her and laid her knitting aside. She stood up and stretched, then held a hand out to help me stand up. We walked outside and down the sidewalk in the evening breeze.

"Catherine, It's so good to see you and Lindsey happy again. I don't know Sara well, but I really like her. Are you sure it would be a good idea to leave her with Mom for long periods of time? I'd hate to see this cause problems for the two of you. I can take her in if you need me to." My sister offered. I smiled and shrugged.

"Sara wants to do this. I think she thinks it will help cement her place in the family. I don't want to push her either way. I think we should try it this way and if it gets to be too stressful for either of us, I'll give you a call and beg for your help. Okay?" I told her and she laughed.

"You won't need to beg, sis. I'll be around anyway. I plan to help out all I can, but I can't afford to take off work for this. I know you can't really afford it either. It's really great that Sara offered to use her vacation this way. I sure hope she is everything she seems to be, Cath. Because from where I'm standing it looks like you finally found the perfect mate. She's smart and funny, which I know is important to you. But she's also very sensitive and responsible. She's your equal, but she isn't a carbon copy of you. You know I've never even thought about dating a woman, but if you told me that Sara had a sister, I'd beg you to fix me up with her." she laughed. I had to laugh at the image that put in my mind.

"I'm very lucky that Sara gave me a chance, or that she convinced me to give her a chance. I know how rare relationships like this are. Believe me, I'm not taking any chances that might screw this up." I told my sister and squeezed her hand.

We walked around the park near the hospital and talked a bit more, then went back in to check on Sara and the kids. Sara was reading her forensics journal intently when I got back. Jeremy was still involved with his video game and Lindsey had just awakened from her nap.

"Mom, I'm hungry." she told me as I settled into the seat next to Sara. I rummaged through the bag I had packed and handed her a grape soda and a granola bar.

"Here's a snack. We'll have Sara go get us something more substantial later on, okay?" I told her and she nodded and popped open her drink and happily ate the granola bar I had offered her. Sara had closed her journal and was smiling at me when I looked up at her.

"Did you have a nice walk?" she asked and I nodded.

"I see you kept busy." I told her, gesturing at her now folded up journal. She smiled and gave a shy nod.

"I was going to offer to go pick up some sandwiches for all of us. I can get soda for the kids and coffee for all of us. I'll bring it all back up here and we can all eat together." Sara smiled at me again.

"Honey, that would be perfect. Could you take care of that? Lindsey can go with you and help you carry the food." I suggested.

Sara took a small notepad out of her hip pocket and pulled a pen out of my purse. She wrote down what she knew Lindsey and I would like and then asked my sister and my nephew for their sandwich preferences.

"Okay, looks like that covers everyone. Linds, you want to take a ride with me?" Sara asked my daughter.

"Yeah! I'm ready to get out of here for a little while." Lindsey grumbled and stretched as she got out of her chair.

"Can I go, too?" Jeremy asked and Sara glanced at my sister.

"If it's okay with Sara it's fine with me." Nancy said with a shrug.

"Can I Aunt Sara?" he pleaded.

"Sure! You can carry the food and Linds can help me carry the drinks. But I'm driving." Sara said and both the kids laughed at her. She pulled out her car keys and waited while Jeremy put away his video game and Lindsey tied her shoelaces again. She bent down and gave me a quick kiss when she was ready to leave.

"I love you. I'll be back soon." she whispered.

"Love you, too." I told her. Then Sara was walking out with the kids trailing along behind her. While they were gone, Doctor Mitchell came out to talk to Nancy and me.

"Your mother is in recovery. Her surgery went well. She should be here for another couple of days for observation. We want to make sure that she doesn't get an infection, or some other complication before we release her, but then you can take her home. She will need family nearby to care for her for the next six weeks. Do you have plans for where she will stay and who will act as her caregiver?" he questioned.

"She's coming home with me as soon as she is released. My partner, Sara and I will be taking care of her, with some help from my sister." I told him. He already knew Nancy, since they worked at the same hospital, so he didn't ask if we knew what would be involved. I guess he knew she would have already told me.

"We've talked about all of this already. Catherine and Sara are aware of what will be involved." Nancy told him anyway.

"She is still under sedation right now, but you should be able to visit her again in a couple of hours. I'll send a nurse to let you know when she is awake and aware." he told us both and then turned to leave.

"Thank you, Doctor." I told him as he made his retreat.

"Well, that part of it is over at least." Nancy sighed in relief.

"Yeah. Now comes the hard part." I sighed as well and heard my sister chuckle.

"You have no idea how hard, yet. Just remember you can always call me if you need to get away from her for awhile. I'll come stay with her at your place and you and Sara can escape together for a while." Nancy assured me.

"I think we'll be okay. Thank you for the offer, though, and I hope I don't have to take you up on that." I smiled at her.

Sara appeared a short while later with a tray containing three steaming hot cups of coffee. Right behind her my daughter was holding a medium soda in each hand and my nephew was carrying a large bag. Sara handed my sister a cup of coffee and settled into the chair next to me before handing me a cup as well and taking a sip of her own coffee. Lindsey waited patiently while Jeremy handed everyone their sandwiches and then she handed him the drink she had been holding for him. The kids settled in and we all ate in relative silence. Once the food was finished I let Sara and the kids know that the doctor had told us the surgery went well and that mom was in recovery.

"He said he'd send a nurse to let us know when she wakes up and we can go visit her for a few minutes tonight." I told them.

"Mom, can we sleep at home tonight?" Lindsey asked.

"After we visit Grandma, we can go home and get some sleep." I assured her and she sighed in relief.


	12. Chapter 12

Sara's POV

I called in, without explaining the reason for my absence, knowing that Grissom would remember that Catherine's mom was in the hospital. It wasn't his business why I wasn't coming in, really, he just needed to know that I wouldn't be showing up. I hadn't had much sleep and I was in sort of a grumpy mood, so I didn't bother to try to be polite about it. Just told him I wasn't coming in and he shouldn't call me for any reason. I did promise him that I would make my shift the following night, though. I knew that would make it easier to get him to let the subject drop. He really didn't put up much of a fight anyway. I guess he didn't want to hear my reasons anymore than I wanted to explain them to him.

Catherine looked so tired when I got back from making my phone call, I just forgot all about how tired I was and encouraged her to get some rest. She laid her head on my shoulder and fell asleep within a few minutes. I tried to sit very still and not wake her, but could only manage it for a couple of hours. I just really needed either sleep or strong coffee. I settled for coffee and stood slowly to go get some for both myself and Catherine. I couldn't get up without waking her, but she didn't seem to mind. I went and made us both a cup of coffee and brought them back to join her again. She sipped her coffee in thoughtful silence and told me she and her sister needed to stretch their legs. I have a feeling I'm going to be the topic of their conversation, but I played along and agreed to stay here and watch the kids while they take a walk. A minute after they leave, I consider taking a nap, but the thought that something might happen to Lindsey or Jeremy while I'm napping makes me choose to read my forensics journal instead.

Jeremy was involved in his video game and didn't seem to want to talk and Lindsey was sound asleep and I didn't want to wake her, so I found an article I thought I might learn something from and started reading. Mostly, though, I was just waiting for Catherine's return. I miss her when she isn't nearby. It's only been about 3 weeks and I crave her presence already. This is crazy. I feel so weak when I realize how much I need this woman. They were gone for almost 45 minutes. I finally got into my journal and they came wandering in and sat down again. As soon as her fingers made contact with my skin, Catherine was all I could think about, so I closed and folded up the journal.

"Mom, I'm hungry." Lindsey complained as soon as she noticed Catherine. My beautiful lover rummaged through the bag she had packed and handed her child a soda and a granola bar.

"Here's a snack. We'll have Sara go get us something more substantial later on, okay?" she promised the child.

"Did you have a nice walk?" I managed to ask without sounding like the crazed stalker I think I'm turning into. She nodded and gestured to the journal in my hand.

"I see you kept busy." she teased. I smiled at her and nodded.

"I was going to offer to go pick up some sandwiches for all of us. I can get soda for the kids and coffee for all of us. I'll bring it all back up here and we can all eat together." I told her, wishing I had made the offer before she'd suggested it.

"Honey, that would be perfect. Could you take care of that? Lindsey can go with you and help you carry the food." she suggested. I pulled out my notepad and searched through Cat's purse for a pen, then wrote down what I knew would please Catherine and Lindsey before I asked Jeremy and Nancy what they would like. I wrote down everyone's sandwich preferences and glanced at Lindsey.

"Okay, looks like that covers everyone. Linds, you want to take a ride with me?"

"Yeah! I'm ready to get out of here for a little while." Lindsey grumbled and stretched as she got out of her chair.

"Can I go, too?" Jeremy asked. I glanced at his mother, not knowing what to tell him.

"If it's okay with Sara it's fine with me." Nancy said with a shrug.

"Can I Aunt Sara?" he pleaded.

"Sure! You can carry the food and Linds can help me carry the drinks. But I'm driving." I told them and both the kids giggled. I waited while Lindsey tied her shoelaces and Jeremy put away his video game, then just before we left I had to bend down and give Catherine a quick kiss. I didn't really like being openly affectionate in front of her sister and the kids, but I felt like if I didn't kiss her then, I might never have another chance to, so I did it anyway.

"I love you. I'll be back soon." I told her in a soft voice.

"Love you, too." she told me, looking into my eyes. My heart did a flip when she did that. She really does love me. I had to think about every step I took until I was out of her sight. I rattled my keys as the kids followed along behind me and when we got to my truck Jeremy insisted he got to sit up front with me, and Lindsey just rolled her eyes and settled into the back seat as usual.

I pulled out into traffic and drove us to a sandwich shop where I knew we could find something for everyone. I ordered and paid for the food and let Lindsey get the fountain drinks while I made the coffee. I realized I hadn't asked Nancy how she liked her coffee, so I took a chance and made hers the way I always make Catherine's. When the sandwiches were ready I jabbed Jeremy with my elbow.

"This is your job, remember?" I teased him. We got back in the truck and I drove us carefully back to the hospital. Once we were parked I told the kids to wait for me and we all went in together. I was a step ahead of Lindsey and Jeremy was a step behind her. I glanced around to make sure both kids had kept up with me before we went into the waiting room to meet Catherine and Nancy. I handed Nancy her coffee and sat carefully next to Catherine before handing over her cup as well. Catherine was pleased with her coffee. And Nancy hadn't complained, so maybe she drinks hers the same way Catherine does.

We were all fairly hungry, so when Jeremy had handed out all the sandwiches, we ate in near silence. Everybody seemed to just want to enjoy the food. Once it was gone, though, Catherine had some news for us.

"Mom is in recovery. The doctor told us the surgery went well. He said he'd send a nurse to let us know when she wakes up and we can go visit her for a few minutes tonight."

"Mom, can we sleep at home tonight?" Lindsey asked.

"After we visit Grandma, we can go home and get some sleep." Catherine told her.

"Well, it's a relief that this part of it is over." I whispered against Catherine's temple as I leaned over to kiss her again.

"Yes, it is a relief. Are you sure you want to help with this, Sara? It's not too late to change your mind, you know?" Catherine asked softly.

"My mind is made up." I told her sternly and raised an eyebrow at her. She recognized the signs that I was getting stubborn and she backed down.

"Just thought I'd give you the opportunity to change your mind." she sighed.

"That's not going to happen." I whispered to her. She smiled and her eyes lit up. I love making this woman happy.

A nurse came in a few minutes later to tell us that Lily was awake and asking for Catherine and Nancy. The two of them went back to see her first, then Lindsey and I went back when they returned. Jeremy insisted he would wait and talk to her last.

"Hi, Grandma! Are you feeling better now?" Lindsey asked as soon as we were in her room. Lily glanced at me and tried to smile.

"Honey, grandma is sore all over and feeling kind of weak right now. But, I'll get better now. It's just going to take some time." Lily assured the child.

"I'd ask how you're feeling, but, I guess with all this stuff hooked up to you there's no point in asking." I said, motioning toward the i.v. and the various monitors they had hooked up to Lily.

"Something tells me I should be grateful for this right now." Lily said pointing to the i.v.

"Yes, I imagine without the drugs you would feel much worse." I mumbled, not knowing what to say or why the woman had wanted to see me again.

"Sara, I know what everyone expects from me. I've been a handful all of my life. Catherine probably thinks that I will try to scare you away and Nancy probably wouldn't be surprised by that idea either. Ten years ago, I probably would have. But, it's been so long since my daughter was truly happy. And I do believe that she is happy right now. I don't want to mess things up for her. So I promise you, Sara, that you'll have no trouble from me." Lily told me in a serious voice. I glanced at her and then at Lindsey who seemed to be grinning like crazy.

"I'm willing to give this a chance, Lily. I'm going to work tomorrow night, but I'll be turning in my vacation notice, I'm taking some time off work to help Catherine and Nancy take care of you during your recovery. That should give us plenty of time to get to know each other, wouldn't you say?" I told her. She smiled and nodded.

"Catherine told me you planned to do that. I want you to know that you don't have to put up with me if you choose not to. None of us would hold it against you, Sara." Lily promised.

"If I'm really a part of this family, then I want to do my part, Lily." I told her and took Lindsey's hand.

"Well, I'd say you fit into this family really well. You're as stubborn as any of us." Lily told me and laughed, then grimaced as she realized how much it hurt to laugh. I grabbed a pillow from the chair and handed it to her.

"Clutch this to your chest when you feel like you need to cough or when you laugh and it will help you not feel quite so ripped apart. Or at least that's what the literature says." I told her with a smile. She nodded weakly and I looked down at Lindsey and noticed she had gone a little pale.

"Lily, I'm sure you need some rest and Jeremy still wants to come in and see you, so Linds and I are going to go now. We'll see you again, soon." I told her and jabbed Lindsey with my elbow.

"We love you, Grandma. We'll be back to see you tomorrow." Lindsey told her.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." Lily told her and I steered her back toward the waiting room and sat quietly next to Catherine again.

"Mom, why is Grandma's skin so gray?" Lindsey asked almost as soon as we were seated.

"Linds, honey, she just had this operation. She is weak and needs some time to get healthy again. She's going to be okay, Lindsey. Just give her some time." Catherine tried to assure her daughter.

We waited until Jeremy visited with his grandmother and Catherine and Nancy made plans for the following day. I held Lindsey's little hand since she seemed upset after seeing her grandmother so sick. Nancy and Jeremy headed back to Nancy's place and I drove us all back to Catherine's house. Catherine unlocked the door while I grabbed our stuff out of the truck and we went in and settled on the sofa in front of the television for a few minutes. Lindsey announced that she was going to bed and left us alone.

"You need sleep, too, baby." Catherine told me gently.

"We both do." I whispered against her ear and then kissed her softly.

"Come upstairs with me." she smiled against my lips. I nodded and stood, then held out a hand to help her to her feet. She led me upstairs and closed and locked the bedroom door. I turned down the covers on her bed and when I turned around she was undressing, slowly. She had her blouse halfway unbuttoned and she watched my face to see the reaction each move she made got. I was almost embarrassed by the knowledge that she could read me so clearly. Still, I couldn't look away from her beauty.

"How tired are you, Sara?" she whispered seductively. I looked her over and sighed.

"I'm afraid I might be too tired to finish what you start tonight." I admitted. She smiled and moved closer to me.

"That's okay, honey. I like to be teased on occasion." she confessed in a shy tone. I know I stood there with my mouth hanging open for a few seconds after she said that. She dropped the blouse to the floor behind her and moved to where her skin was almost touching mine.

"Would you help me take the rest of these clothes off?" she asked softly. I gulped and nodded, then ran my fingers along the outline of her bra.

"God, Cat, you're just so beautiful." I whispered as I unclasped her bra and freed her breasts. I kissed her throat, and traced a line with my tongue until I could gently pull one of her nipples into my mouth and roll my tongue around it very softly. Catherine threw her head back and a soft moan escaped her lips.

"Mmmm, honey, that feels so good. I love the way you look at me. You always make me feel worshipped, like some goddess." Catherine mumbled and kissed my shoulder. I unbuttoned her jeans and slowly lowered the zipper. She stepped back and kicked off her shoes and let her jeans fall around her ankles, then stepped out of them. I helped her out of her socks and then peeled her underwear slowly down her long legs and watched her step out of them as well.

"If you were a goddess, I might have to take up religion." I teased her.

"Take these off?" she asked pulling at my clothes. Her desire was building and she was starting to get serious again. I nodded my consent and grabbed the bottom of my tank top, stripping it quickly off over my head I dropped it onto the floor next to Catherine's blouse. She was unclasping my bra while I worked the buttons on my jeans. She smiled when she saw my boxer shorts and she dropped to her knees in front of me and slid them off my legs. I stepped out of them and she pushed me back onto her bed.

"You first, Sara. I can't wait tonight." she whispered and kissed me hard. She let her fingers wander across my heated skin, teasing, nearly torturing as they went. She kissed her way down my body and took one of my nipples into her wonderful mouth. I gasped and closed my eyes. She spent a little time teasing my nipple and moved on to the other one. Then she kissed her way further down my body.

"Spread your legs a little further, baby." she whispered and I did as instructed. She knelt between my legs and dipped her head down to taste me.

"God, Cat!" I cried out when she took my clit in her mouth. She seemed very focused on her task and she got almost rough with me in her quest to get me off.

"Baby, stop." I begged.

She released me immediately and crawled up to join me, looking into my eyes with tears forming in her own beautiful bright blue eyes.

"Did I hurt you, Sara?" she asked softly. I shook my head and held her hand.

"No, baby, you didn't hurt me. I just needed more time, I think. The sensation was just a little too intense. Catherine? Honey, where did this come from? I mean, you're so intense tonight. You're so focused on me. What happened honey?"

"Nothing. Or, more like everything, I guess. This whole situation has been a little stressful for me. And I want you to know how special you are to me. Nobody else in my life holds the place you hold in my heart, Sara. I love you." she whispered with tears on her sweet face.

"I know. And I love you. And nobody is going to come between us. You have nothing to worry about, Catherine. I'm not going anywhere."

"But, if I can't even..." she gestured down my body with one hand and I knew she meant to imply that her sexual performance was less than adequate.

"Baby, don't worry. I love you. I think I'm just a little too tired for this tonight." I whispered against her temple. I kissed her hair and then placed gentle kisses all over her face until I felt her relax against me.

"Could you hold me for a while?" she asked shyly.

"Of course, sweetheart." I whispered and pulled her against me. Her soft naked skin brushing against mine made my heart beat faster, but I controlled my desire and just held her and let her sleep. Soon I was sleeping soundly next to her with my arms still around her.


	13. Chapter 13

Sara's POV

I woke up alone. Nobody else was in the house at all. I found a note in Catherine's handwriting saying that she had to meet her sister, but didn't want to wake me since she knew I had to work graveyard tonight. So she and Lindsey had gone to Nancy's and left me sleeping. I got up and showered and dressed. Made just enough coffee for myself and ate a whole wheat bagel with my coffee. I called Greg to see if Grissom had been upset that I had called in the previous shift.

"Hey, it's me. What kind of mood was Grissom in last night?" I said as an opener.

"Oh, hey, Sara. Well, he wasn't in a good mood, but it wasn't like before when he wouldn't talk to any of us. Hey, what happened to you last night? Are you sick? Why didn't you show up for shift?" Greg asked and I started to regret choosing him to call.

"Um, no, I'm not sick and I'll be at shift tonight. Something's come up in my personal life, that's all. I'll tell you all about it later, okay?" I told him and hung up before he could ask too many more questions.

I decided it might be a good idea to call Catherine. I tried her cell phone number and she answered, as she would if we were working, probably out of sheer habit.

"Willows."

"Hey, Cat, it's me. I just talked to Greg. Everybody is going to be gossipy because I didn't work last shift. Any chance you could meet us all for breakfast after shift and let's just go ahead and tell the guys what's going on here?"

"I think that might be a really good idea. Why don't we plan on that. I'll be at our usual diner around 7 a.m. You think it might go over better if we buy breakfast for them all?" she asked nervously.

"Cat, they're our friends. They're going to be happy for us. We don't have to bribe them to win them over. Look, if you're really worried about this why don't you call Warrick and talk it over with him. He already knows and he can help us explain it to the rest of the guys if you think that might be easier." I told her gently.

"No, I'd rather they all hear it from us. We'll tell them at breakfast. Together. Like we planned." Catherine decided.

"Okay. I love you, baby. See you at breakfast. Call me if you need anything?"

"You know I will. I love you, too, honey. Please be careful tonight." she asked softly.

"I will. See you at the diner. Bye, baby." I said and hung up.

I packed a sandwich and a thermos of decent coffee to take to work with me and got an early start. I knew there would be paperwork I needed to catch up on and there were still lab reports to collect and review before my shift actually started.

Greg met me in the parking lot. His curiousity never fails to amaze me. This guy is a bigger gossip than any woman I have ever known.

"Sara, hey. So, you gonna tell me what's up?" he called as he tried to catch up to me. I didn't even slow down.

"Sorry, Greg. I have too much to do to stand around and gossip with you right now. How about we all meet for breakfast instead and I can tell the whole crew at once." I offered. He was clearly not pleased at the idea of him not knowing first. I just kept walking and when I got to the labs I turned and went in to see Wendy right away.

"Hey, sorry I was out last night. Did you get anything good off that stuff we brought you?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Sent everything I had to Warrick. He should be close to wrapping this one up." I raised an eyebrow at that and looked closer at Wendy to see if she might be teasing me.

"Really? You got something that good?" I asked in amazement. She nodded again and gave me a patient smile.

"Go find Warrick and see for yourself, Sara." she finally told me and I took her advice.

I stuck my head in the door of the breakroom and overheard Greg asking Nick if he knew what was up with me. I cleared my throat loudly and asked if either of them had seen Warrick yet.

"Oh, hey, Sar. Um, I think he's in the garage. Something to do with that car they brought in last night." Okay, one night off and I've missed a lot of changes apparently. Warrick must be really pissed at me.

"Okay, thanks guys." I shrugged and headed in the direction of the garage. Grissom intercepted me just before I got there.

"Sara, can we talk for a moment?" he asked and gestured toward his office.

"Uh, yeah, sure." I said and followed him inside. He closed the door and settled in behind his cluttered desk.

"Can I assume your absence last night had something to do with your new relationship with Catherine and the fact that her mother was hospitalized?" he asked.

"You can assume anything you like. Look, Grissom, I like my job, but Catherine is more important to me than any job. Don't make me quit because you can't stand to see us together." I told him in an angry rush. He held up both hands in a 'don't shoot' gesture and shook his head.

"I wasn't implying that you were being unprofessional, Sara. I simply wanted to understand what exactly is going on with you right now." he explained. I shook my head and gave him a slight smile.

"Sorry, if I over-reacted. Yes, I called in last night because of Catherine's mom. We spent our evening at the hospital with her. Catherine and Nancy will spend the night there again tonight. And, I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to be taking some of my vacation time." I told him and finally met his eyes again.

Grissom looked years older than he had a month earlier. His eyes were red from lack of sleep and he had lost more weight. He looked like he was overworked and uncared for. He looked at me and sighed and then he stood up and started pacing behind his desk.

"Sara, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or say anything inappropriate, but sometimes I just don't say what I want to say very well. Right now, though, I feel like I need to try to express this. Hear me out?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm listening." I assured him.

"I know I've given you reasons to assume that I wouldn't want to hear about any of this. Truthfully, it is a little hard for me on a personal level, but as your supervisor, I need to know what's going on in your life. And, Sara, I'm happy that you've found something outside this job that completes your life and gives you something to focus your energy on. I think it's good that you're finally taking some of your vacation time, on your own initative." he sighed and paced back to his desk and sat down heavily in his chair.

"I'll write up your vacation, you can take as much as you need to. You've got at least two months worth of time accrued. I finished the paperwork for Catherine's family leave last night and filed it this morning. She is officially on leave to care for her mother. Warrick has just about wrapped up your case and all I really need you to do tonight is please finish all your outstanding paperwork." Grissom finished and I walked around his desk to give him a hug.

"Thank you. I was expecting to have to fight for this. Thank you for making it easier for me." I told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed and shrugged.

"I'm just trying to keep things professional. Catherine and I have been friends for years. I wouldn't want to do anything to damage our friendship any more than I already have." he explained.

"Well, I better find Warrick and explain this to him. Then I'll get on that paperwork you need from me." I told him and let myself out of his office, headed once again for the garage.

"Sara!" Warrick said when I opened the door.

"Hi! Sorry I bailed on you. I hear the case is just about wrapped up without me? Catherine's mom had a heart attack and we spent most of yesterday at the hospital with her." I tried to explain.

"Don't worry about it, Sara. Cath explained all that already. She called me to say we were having that breakfast a little early. She seemed a little nervous about it. I'm looking forward to it. I've missed her this last couple of weeks. It's not the same around here without her." he told me. I nodded.

"I told her she should call you. She tried to act like it wasn't bothering her too much, but I could tell she was nervous. I told her this wouldn't matter to the guys, but you know, she worries." I shrugged. He winked at me.

"She'll feel better about it after they know." he said. And then he wrapped me in a hug. I hugged him back just as Nick walked in.

"Whoa! Watch out, man, Sara's boyfriend hears about this he might be waiting outside for you after shift." he joked.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to go ahead and set up breakfast with all of you after shift so we can settle some of these rumors for good." I told Nick and Warrick played along like he didn't already know what we had planned.

"Count me in." Warrick said.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good. The usual place?" Nick asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I'll just make a quick phone call, and then get to my paperwork. See you guys at breakfast." I told them.

"You're buying everybody breakfast?" Wendy asked as I nearly knocked her down leaving the garage as she was entering.

"Not everybody, but I'll be happy to buy yours if you want to come along." I told her with a wink. She smiled and gave me a flirty wink back. She continued into the garage and I went to tease Greg for a minute before looking for a quiet place to finish up my paperwork.

"So, you're coming to breakfast with the team, right?" I asked Greg when I caught up to him.

"You're really going to make me wait until you tell everybody else?" he pouted.

"Greg this isn't just my decision to make. I know you'll understand after breakfast, though, so please just say you'll show up."

"Are you buying? Cause then it would sort of be like a date. Right?" he teased. I shook my head.

"Greg if you can't afford to pay for your own breakfast, what makes you think I'd ever go out with you?" I teased right back.

"Aw, Sara, it's so unfair that I have to wait to find out who this guy is at breakfast with the rest of the team when everybody knows I'm your best bud. I mean you should have told me about this guy when you first met him so I could check him out and give him the speech, you know?" Greg whined.

"The speech?" I asked.

"Yeah, you know the speech. The one that goes sort of like, 'If you hurt Sara, I'll hurt you.' that speech." he smiled. I shrugged and rolled my eyes.

"What makes you think anyone would be afraid of you, Greg?" I shook my head and gave him another smile as I left.

I found a quiet room to finish up all my paperwork and managed not to be bothered by anyone until almost time for shift to end. Hodges stuck his head in just a few minutes before shift ended.

"I hear the team is meeting for breakfast. Does this include the lab techs?" he asked.

"We're all getting together at the diner across the street. You're welcome to come by if you'd like I think Archie and Wendy will be there along with the rest of the graveyard team." I told him, knowing he had a serious crush on Wendy and couldn't stand it that she and Archie had recently started seeing each other. He shrugged and mumbled that he might stop by, but I figured he would miss it if he thought Wendy and Archie would be there. I filed all my paperwork and dropped it on Grissom's desk. He walked in as I was walking out.

"Hey, I'm done with my paperwork. Just getting ready to leave. Look, I know you've probably heard this already, but Catherine and I have invited everyone to breakfast at the diner across the street. We're going to tell the team today." I told him. He sighed lightly and shrugged.

"Good luck with that." he said softly and dropped heavily into his chair.

"Look, I'm not trying to rub this in your face or anything, but we'd like it if you could come share this moment with us. Catherine misses you just as much as the rest of the guys. She'd love to see you. You don't have to stay for the whole meal. You can leave whenever you get uncomfortable. We'll both understand, but just come by. Please?" I offered.

"I'll be there." he nodded and looked into my face.

"Sara, you really are happy, now, aren't you?" he asked gently.

"Happier than I ever thought I'd be. I wouldn't trade a moment of this time with Catherine and Lindsey for anything. I'm enjoying the whole experience on so many levels." I sighed.

"You don't need to explain. I understand. And, Sara, it took me long enough, but I can finally say, I'm happy for you. And for Catherine. You both deserve this."

"Thank you." I whispered and hugged him again.

"See you at breakfast." I said as I left his office.

"See you at breakfast." he replied.

I called Catherine as I carefully cleared out some stuff from my locker. I had clothes that needed to be washed before I brought them back to work and I didn't want them smelling up my locker while I was out on vacation, so I was packing up to take my laundry home.

"Willows." Catherine answered.

"Hey, you. Are you ready for breakfast with the team?" I asked her.

"I think so. I'm still really nervous, but I'm sure it will be okay. I'm actually already at the diner and on my third cup of coffee." she told me with a soft chuckle.

"Well, ease up on the coffee and maybe you won't be so nervous." I suggested.

"We'll be there in about 10 minutes or so. Oh, and it isn't just the team. Some of the lab techs are coming along. I guess me having a personal life is bigger news than either of us thought." I laughed.

"As long as Grissom doesn't show up." she sighed.

"Um, honey, I invited him too. He's been really handling this so much better lately I thought it would be nice if he at least turned up. I told him we would understand if he left early, though."

"Sara, I really wish you had just left that alone." Catherine sighed.

"Baby, it'll be okay. Just trust my judgement. It'll be fine. I promise." I told her.

"I do trust you, Sara. I'll see you soon." she told me softly and I hung up and finished packing up my laundry. Greg and Nick walked in as I was getting ready to leave.

"Whoa! Sara, looks like you plan to be gone awhile. You're not leaving us are you?" Greg asked.

"I had laundry to do." I told him and hefted the bag in his direction.

"You can be a good friend and carry it to my truck for me." I challenged.

"You got it. Anything for my Sara bear!" he teased.

"Stop calling me that!" I sighed and slapped him across the back of the head.

"Ow! Okay, already!" he whined and Nick laughed at him.

"Watch it, man. You don't want to upset the boyfriend. He might be twice your size and really mean tempered. Don't let him catch you calling her that for sure." Nick teased.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that." Greg sighed and looked at me.

"Sorry, Sara." he apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Come on guys, get it in gear I'm hungry today." I rushed them along. Warrick came in and gave me a hug.

"See you at breakfast, Sara." he said, knowing the other guys would overhear whatever we said in here. I left my bag for Greg to haul out of there and went down the hall to see if Wendy was coming by.

"Hey, I was serious about buying your breakfast if you and Archie want to drop by the diner on the way home." I told her and she laughed.

"Sara Sidle, if I didn't know you better I'd think you were asking me out." she teased.

"How well do you really know me, though?" I teased back. She laughed and told me she and Archie would drop by as soon as she could drag him away from his computer. She stood up to go find him as I left the lab.

I unlocked my truck just as Greg walked up carrying my laundry bag.

"Hey, just stick it in the backseat. Thanks for helping out, Greg." I told him.

"So, is this where you tell me all about the guy you're seeing?" he asked excitedly.

"No, that's what we're getting together at breakfast for." I told him shaking my head. He stuck his lower lip out, hoping that pouting might make me change my mind but I laughed at him and pushed him in the direction of his car.

"See you at breakfast." I told him and got in to start up my car.

At the diner I parked next to Catherine's car. When I went inside I found her at the counter.

"Hey, why didn't you get us a booth?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I've been here drinking coffee for almost two hours, Sara. I was nervous. I just wanted to wait for you and we can do this together." she spoke softly and I recognized the fear in her voice.

"It will be okay, honey. Really, it will." I tried to reassure her. She nodded.

"I know. I do. But, I'm still nervous about this, Sara."

"Well, Come on. They'll be here any minute now." I told her and walked toward a booth in the back. She sat down first. I moved to sit next to her and she shook her head.

"Wait. When they get here, they need to see you first. Then when everyone is seated and has some food in front of them, we can break the news, okay?" she told me and I realized she had been thinking about this all day. I shrugged. The woman has a plan, I might as well go along with it.

Greg was, of course, the first to arrive followed closely by Nick and they were both surprised to see Catherine there.

"Catherine! Hey! We've missed you." Greg told her. Then he looked at me.

"Wow! You really did mean to tell the entire lab at once didn't you?" he shrugged and settled into the booth across from Catherine. Nick came in and made Catherine stand up and give him a hug.

"Hey, how are you doing, Cath? We've missed you. Sara didn't say you'd be here today. Do you know who she's been seeing?" he asked and she nodded but held a finger to her lips as though she wouldn't tell my secret. Nick sat next to Greg and I slid in next to Catherine as Warrick and Grissom came in and settled in next to Nick. Warrick smiled and reached for Catherine's hand.

"You look good, Cath. So good to see you again." he told her warmly. She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you. I've missed you all so much." she told the guys, but I think Warrick knew she was trying to thank him especially, since he had comforted her three times tonight when she called him nervously worried about making this announcement. He gave her a smile and released her hand gently. She shook hands with Grissom too, but they were more reserved with each other than I have ever seen them before.

"Well, Wendy and Archie are supposed to join us, then we can all order." I told them all.

"But, what about, you know who?" Greg asked.

"Who?" I teased.

"The boyfriend? When does he show up, Sara? You've had us all guessing for a couple of weeks now. This isn't at all fair." he pouted. I couldn't help laughing.

"Could you just wait for everyone to order? You'll find out soon enough." I scolded him.

Wendy dropped into the booth next to me and Archie sat closely beside her.

"Hey, guys! Looks like we're all here and ready to order." I waved at the waitress and she came and took our order.

"Does this go on the same ticket you already started?" she asked Catherine.

"You know what? Put it all on one ticket and bring me the bill." I told her and she shrugged and walked off to put in our food order. Catherine smiled.

"Well, Thank you for the coffee, Sara." she joked.

"You're all very welcome. I'm celebrating after all. So this is my treat." I looked around the table to see everyone looking at me as though they really didn't know me like they thought they did. Everyone except Catherine and Warrick. Even Grissom stared at me like he'd never seen me be generous before. I sighed.

"Okay, what? Why is everyone staring at me?" I said. Nick cleared his throat.

"Well, Sara, I mean, we've known you for years and you rarely come to breakfast with us, let alone offer to pay for everybody's food. This guy must really be special. So, when do we get to meet him?" he said. Greg and Archie and Wendy joined in and when my face turned red, Catherine put a stop to the questions.

"Everyone, I think there is a slight misunderstanding here that I'd like to clear up. Sara doesn't have a new boyfriend. I think if you recall, Sara told you she was seeing someone. And you assumed she was seeing a man." she grasped my hand in hers and held them up so everyone would notice we were holding hands.

"Sara and I are a couple." she announced. Greg nearly choked on his coffee. Nick sat there with his mouth open. Wendy clapped me on the back and high-fived Archie.

"Cool!" Archie said.

"Way to go, Sara!" Wendy told me and squeezed my arm.

"Wow! That's a shock. I never expected that one." Nick finally said and Warrick stood and opened his arms, wrapping both me and Catherine in an awkward hug from across the table.

"Congratulations! You two are a gorgeous couple!" he told us and sat back down. Grissom looked from Catherine to me and back at her again then offered his hand to Catherine.

"Congratulations! Take care of her." he told her in a serious tone. She nodded and smiled at me.

"Whoa! No way! You're teasing me. Is this one of those hidden camera tricks?" Greg finally found his voice and apparently couldn't believe what he was seeing and hearing.

"It's not a trick, Greg. It's the truth. You wanted to know my secret. This is the secret. Catherine and I are dating." I told him.


	14. Chapter 14

Catherine's POV

Sara had decided that we would get the breakfast with the team out of the way and let them all know today. I've been sitting in this diner for almost two hours thinking about how we're going to do this. I think I'll be fine as long as Grissom doesn't show up. I don't think I could stand to hurt him again. Finally my phone rings and shows Sara's name on the caller i.d.

"Willows." I answered automatically. I'm all nerves right now.

"Hey, you. Are you ready for breakfast with the team?" Sara asked in a confident voice. Where did she get such confidence? I've never thought of Sara as overly confident. Especially about social situations. But right now, she either isn't at all nervous or she has decided she doesn't care how this goes.

"I think so. I'm still really nervous, but I'm sure it will be okay. I'm actually already at the diner and on my third cup of coffee." I confessed with a light chuckle and she teased me for a moment.

"Well, ease up on the coffee and maybe you won't be so nervous." her tone was light and I thought she might be joking, but I was actually sitting here getting more nervous with every cup of coffee I had, so maybe she had a point.

"We'll be there in about 10 minutes or so. Oh, and it isn't just the team. Some of the lab techs are coming along. I guess me having a personal life is bigger news than either of us thought." she announced. Oh, and I thought I was nervous before. Bigger crowd than we had planned on? Breathe! Willows, just breathe!

"As long as Grissom doesn't show up." I mumbled mostly to try to calm myself, but Sara overheard me.

"Um, honey, I invited him too. He's been really handling this so much better lately I thought it would be nice if he at least turned up. I told him we would understand if he left early, though."

"Sara, I really wish you had just left that alone." I sighed.

"Baby, it'll be okay. Just trust my judgement. It'll be fine. I promise." Sara told me calmly.

"I do trust you, Sara. I'll see you soon." I told her and let her get off the phone to finish getting ready. What I really need is a drink! I flagged down the waitress.

"Do you have something a little stronger? Like maybe Bailey's Irish Creme? Could you maybe add that to my coffee?" I asked her and she smiled.

"Rough night?"

"Yes, and the morning just might be even rougher." I told her and she went to see if there was any alcohol left in her kitchen. I'd just taken a sip of the now spiked coffee when Sara walked in.

"Hey, why didn't you get us a booth?" she asked. I shook my head and tried to explain my unreasonable thinking to my very logical girlfriend.

"I've been here drinking coffee for almost two hours, Sara. I was nervous. I just wanted to wait for you and we can do this together." I muttered nervously.

"It will be okay, honey. Really, it will." Sara assured me.

"I know. I do. But, I'm still nervous about this, Sara." I nodded and tried very hard to relax. I took a deep sip of the coffee I'd had the waitress spike for me.

"Well, Come on. They'll be here any minute now." Sara said and headed for a booth in the back. I sat down with my back to the door and waited. She moved to sit next to me and I shook my head.

"Wait. When they get here, they need to see you first. Then when everyone is seated and has some food in front of them, we can break the news, okay?" I tried to stall her. The guys filed in one by one. Greg arrived first. He's really got a crush on Sara. I might have more trouble out of him than I would from Grissom.

"Catherine! Hey! We've missed you." he told me when he noticed me and then he immediately turned back toward Sara.

"Wow! You really did mean to tell the entire lab at once didn't you?" he shrugged and settled into the booth across from me. I took another sip of the spiked coffee and realized I was finally beginning to feel the alcohol just a little.

Nick showed up and I had to stand to give him a hug. I tried not to seem too unsteady on my feet. Maybe the alcohol wasn't such a great idea.

"Hey, how are you doing, Cath? We've missed you. Sara didn't say you'd be here today. Do you know who she's been seeing?" Nick interrogated me and I nodded at him but held a finger to my lips so he would think I'd been sworn to secrecy. Sara slid into the booth next to me and sat down finally, just as Warrick and Grissom showed up and joined Nick and Greg. Warrick reached across the table to hold my hand a moment. He knew how nervous I was. I'd called him at least three times that afternoon and evening.

"You look good, Cath. So good to see you again." he told me. I smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you. I've missed you all so much." I looked right into Warrick's eyes when I said that so he'd know that I meant it more for him than for the rest of the team, though I had missed them as well. He smiled at me and the Grissom shook hands with me in his very reserved way. I went along with it. I don't want to hurt the man anymore. He is one of my oldest friends. It isn't my fault he waited too late to fall for Sara.

"Well, Wendy and Archie are supposed to join us, then we can all order." Sara told the guys.

"But, what about, you know who?" Greg asked.

"Who?" Sara teased.

"The boyfriend? When does he show up, Sara? You've had us all guessing for a couple of weeks now. This isn't at all fair." he pouted. Sara laughed.

"Could you just wait for everyone to order? You'll find out soon enough." she scolded him.

Wendy dropped into the booth next to Sara and Archie sat closely beside her.

"Hey, guys! Looks like we're all here and ready to order." Sara said and waved at the waitress and she came and took our order.

"Does this go on the same ticket you already started?" she asked me. I'm sure my face went red when she said that. Who shows up two hours early and drinks before breakfast?

"You know what? Put it all on one ticket and bring me the bill." Sara told her and she shrugged and walked off to put in our food order. I smiled.

"Well, Thank you for the coffee, Sara." I told her in a teasing tone.

"You're all very welcome. I'm celebrating after all. So this is my treat." Sara told everyone. She looked around the table to see everyone looking at her. Well, almost everyone anyway and she sighed.

"Okay, what? Why is everyone staring at me?" Sara said. Nick cleared his throat.

"Well, Sara, I mean, we've known you for years and you rarely come to breakfast with us, let alone offer to pay for everybody's food. This guy must really be special. So, when do we get to meet him?" he said. Greg, Archie and Wendy joined in Sara's face turned red. I decided it was time we put a stop to the questions.

"Everyone, I think there is a slight misunderstanding here that I'd like to clear up. Sara doesn't have a new boyfriend. I think if you recall, Sara told you she was seeing someone. And you assumed she was seeing a man." I grasped her hand in mine and held them up so everyone would notice we were holding hands.

"Sara and I are a couple." I announced. Greg nearly choked on his coffee. Nick sat there with his mouth open. Wendy clapped Sara on the back and high-fived Archie.

"Cool!" Archie said.

"Way to go, Sara!" Wendy told Sara and squeezed her arm.

"Wow! That's a shock. I never expected that one." Nick finally said and Warrick stood and opened his arms, wrapping both of us in an awkward hug from across the table.

"Congratulations! You two are a gorgeous couple!" he told us and sat back down. Grissom looked from me to Sara and back at me again then offered his hand.

"Congratulations! Take care of her." he told me in a serious tone. I just nodded and smiled at Sara.

"Whoa! No way! You're teasing me. Is this one of those hidden camera tricks?" Greg sputtered in disbelief.

"It's not a trick, Greg. It's the truth. You wanted to know my secret. This is the secret. Catherine and I are dating." Sara told him. He looked at Sara a long moment and apparently decided she wasn't trying to pull an elaborate prank on him, then he looked at me like I had just stolen his favorite toy. I shrugged and glanced toward Sara again.

"Greg, you're supposed to be my best bud, remember? So get over this and say something already!" Sara told him. He looked pained but managed to look her in the eye.

"Uh, yeah, congratulations Sara. We're all happy for you." he mumbled. Sara seemed to take it at face value, but I could tell he was not at all happy to find this out. I took another sip of my coffee and found it had gone cold. I made a face at the taste and Sara ordered me another cup. The waitress remembered my previous question and the new cup was spiked just like the last one was.

"Good coffee! Remember to leave her a nice tip, honey." I whispered to Sara after a sip of my coffee. Sara nodded and turned her attention to a story Archie was telling about a case he had to help dayshift with.

Grissom didn't stay long, and when he left Greg was right behind him. Warrick took my hand.

"He'll get over it." he whispered.

"Which one?" I asked bitterly.

"Both of them." Nick grinned.

"So you both noticed it, too?" I asked and they looked at each other then back at me.

"We're trained CSI's Cath." Warrick told me.

"I'm sure not everybody noticed." Nick tried to reassure me.

"Noticed what?" Sara asked.

"Maybe they mean the way Greg looked at Catherine when he figured out this wasn't a joke." Wendy told Sara.

"What do you mean?" Sara asked again.

"Well, he did kind of look at her like she took his last piece of candy." Archie shrugged.

"Oh, come on! Greg and I are just friends there has never been anything between us." Sara insisted.

"Not on your part, Sara. But that kid really has a thing for you." Nick informed her. Sara looked at me.

"Did he make you uncomfortable? Do I need to talk to him about this?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No, let's just leave him alone to deal with his own problems and hopefully he will get over this and move on." I shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Catherine. I guess I should have told him in person first." Sara apologized.

"Honey, it's not your fault." I assured her.

"We should get home. I'll get the check." Sara said and waved down the waitress again to ask for the check.

"Um, baby, maybe Warrick could drive my car home and I could ride with you. Nick could maybe pick him up and bring him back for his car." I suggested and she looked at me like I was losing my mind.

"Be happy to, Cath." Warrick said and I handed him my keys. Nick nodded to let me know he'd be behind us to give Warrick a ride back.

"Baby, that's really not necessary is it?" Sara asked.

"Sara, kiss me?" I told her in a soft whisper.

"What right here, in front of the whole diner?" she asked. I nodded and leaned in close to her. Sara leaned over and pressed her lips to mine and I pushed my tongue into her mouth. She pulled back as soon as she tasted the alcohol.

"You've been drinking?" she asked.

"I was trying to calm my nerves. Obviously it didn't work. But, yes I have been drinking. My coffee was Bailey's and and touch of coffee." I told her. She sighed and took the check up to the counter to pay it.

"Cat, come on. Let's go home." Sara suggested in a soft voice. Her voice didn't betray her anger but I could read it in her body language. She stepped ahead of me on the way out and she barely touched me when she helped me into her car. She wasn't openly affectionate with me the way she has been for the few weeks we've been seeing each other. I think this is officially our first fight. At least our first fight as a couple anyway.

We made it home without a word exchanged between us and Sara led me upstairs and helped me undress, then carefully tucked me in.

"Cat, I think I might spend the night at my place." she told me calmly.

"No. Don't walk away from this, Sara. I know you're angry with me and I understand why, but it won't help either of us for you to just leave now." I insisted.

"Cat, if I stay, we might fight." she told me.

"Yes, but it would hardly be the first time you and I have fought. We'll survive this, Sara. We just need to be honest with each other." I told her softly.

"Are you still drunk?" she asked. I shook my head.

"I was never drunk. I drank to try to calm my nerves but I've only really had about two drinks. I just didn't think driving home was the smart option when you were coming here anyway." I explained and Sara seemed to think about it a long moment. Then she stood and stretched and paced around the bedroom for a minute before coming back to stand beside the bed.

"I think they all took it well. I mean aside from Greg and his shattered delusions. It went pretty well, don't you think?" she said and I nodded.

"If you'll come hold me while I sleep I'll forget the whole Greg incident." I promised her and she smiled and started removing her clothes. Soon she was wrapped around me from behind and her fingers intertwined with each other just over my navel. Her warm breath tickled my ear and she slept soundly next to me all night.

The next morning I woke up early and made breakfast for all of us. I managed not to burn the toast, or the oatmeal this time and it was edible, if not as good as what Sara usually makes. I just needed to do something to surprise her and I thought it would be nice to give her a break from cooking, since Lindsey seemed to think that Sara should always be the one to cook since she was so much better at it than I was.

I had Lindsey help me carry the food up to the bedroom where we surprised Sara with breakfast in bed. She smiled and seemed to enjoy her food and the coffee I had made her. After breakfast Lindsey went downstairs to watch cartoons and I stayed to talk with Sara.

"I love you, Catherine. You don't have to worry. I know the whole thing with Grissom had you concerned and now you're probably thinking there will be complications because of Greg's reaction, but you really don't need to worry. You're the only one I want. You have my heart, Catherine. I could never share it with anyone else." Sara assured me. I breathed a sigh of relief and told her I had been a bit worried about Greg's reaction. He seemed so attached to her.

"It's just he looked at me like I deliberately stole his favorite toy." I told her and she laughed.

"I was never Greg's toy. I was never anything more than a friend to him." she promised me.


	15. Chapter 15

Sara's POV

Catherine made me breakfast in bed. We almost argued last night but we both worked so hard to avoid it that we actually have still not had our first fight as a couple yet. She was drinking, and it upset me at first, but she explained in a reasonable way, how much she drank and why she did it, and I suddenly understood how she had been feeling and why she felt she needed the alcohol. She asked me to hold her. I couldn't deny her that, especially when I wanted it so much myself. So this morning she woke me up to toast and oatmeal and coffee. The coffee was perfect and I was happy not to have to cook today. When Lindsey left to go watch cartoons, Catherine stayed behind to talk with me and I felt the need to reassure her again about just how much she means to me. She listened patiently and then she kissed me, softly, with no intentions but to share a sweet kiss. I sent her off to check on Lindsey and I got up and showered and dressed.

When I got downstairs, mother and daughter were curled up together on the sofa. Catherine smiled as she stroked Lindsey's hair.

"Mom, I'm not a puppy!" Lindsey said indignantly.

"Oh, I already know that. Dogs obey their parents commands." Catherine teased her. I stood watching them for a moment before I wandered in and sat next to Catherine. She smiled at me and made more room so I could stretch out beside her. I held her hand in mine and lazily let my head drop to her shoulder. She turned bright blue eyes on me and I saw a spark of curiousity in them.

"I'm just feeling a little lazy this morning." I whispered into her ear. She smiled and nodded.

"It's a good day for that feeling." she smirked.

"You seem awfully cheerful for some reason." I observed.

"Why wouldn't I be? Do you realize, everyone we meant to tell about our relationship knows, and not one of them has really tried to give us a problem yet? I'm feeling incredibly lucky right now." Catherine sighed.

"Oh, so you were still worried about that? Did you think they would follow us home and try to talk us out of it?" I grinned and she slapped my thigh.

"Stop teasing me, Sidle. You're so mean sometimes." she pouted playfully.

"All part of why you love me." I reminded her and kissed her cheek. Her smile brightened and her eyes went soft again.

"I do, you know? More than I can express most of the time." she whispered against my cheek.

"I know. And I feel so much more for you than I could ever say in words." I whispered back. Just as I was about to kiss her, Lindsey spoke up.

"Hey, I'm trying to watch t.v. so if you two are going to be all mushy can you take it somewhere else?" she said, rolling her eyes in her mother's direction. Catherine smiled and tried hard not to laugh out loud. I glanced at Lindsey to find her smirking in my direction.

"Just you try to stay out of trouble young lady. I need to speak to your mother in the kitchen." I told her and stood up.

"Speak to her? Are you sure that's what you're planning to do?" Lindsey grinned again.

"Lindsey, mind your manners!" Catherine scolded and followed me into the kitchen.

"That kid! I swear I don't know what we'll do with her." she sighed when we were alone.

"She's a great kid. I love that she's comfortable enough to tease me about you." I told her and she smiled again.

"We're both so lucky, Sara." she whispered and pulled me against her. I hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. She tightened her grip around my waist and leaned against me more firmly.

"I don't ever want to lose you, Sara." she whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere. You'd have to chase me away at this point." I promised her.

"With my track record, I'll probably manage to do just that without ever intending to." she sighed.

"Baby, I know you so much better now than I did before. I know not to take it personally when you get upset with me over little things. I know we almost had a major argument last night, but that doesn't mean that the first real argument we have will be the end of this. Is that what you're afraid of?"

"You were ready to leave last night. You were going back to your apartment. You were that angry with me. You didn't even want to stay and try to work through it. So, yes, I guess I got scared." Catherine told me through her tears.

"Hey, baby, don't cry. It's okay. We talked it all out. We're good. I wouldn't just give up on you and walk away, Cat. You mean too much to me for that to ever happen." I assured her.

"Sara, you know how difficult I can be sometimes. And I'm just afraid I'll find a way to screw this up. I finally found the perfect mate and now I guess I'm waiting for life to slap me down again. Like I'm not supposed to be this happy. It's been so long since anyone meant this much to me, I guess I keep expecting someone to take it all away." Catherine sighed deeply and her tears fell even harder.

"Cat, I love you. I'm yours. Whatever happens, and wherever we end up, no matter what life throws at us, you should always know that my heart belongs to you. No one else could ever take your place in my life." I told her seriously. She looked at me and tried to wipe the tears from her face.

"God, I'm a mess. How can you stand to look at me?" she laughed.

"Love will do that for you." I shrugged. She laughed and wrapped me a tight hug.

"Don't even think about leaving me, Sidle. I might be forced to handcuff you to the bed if you do." she joked.

"Well, there's an interesting idea. Can we save that one for Valentine's Day?" I smirked and she actually blushed.

Catherine went upstairs to shower and change and we all went to meet Nancy at the hospital. We had arranged to move some of Lily's things into the guest room at Catherine's house and after a short visit with Lily we all went there to pack up some of the things Lily had told her daughters she would need. Catherine and Nancy did the packing and I carried boxes from the house to the car. Lindsey and Jeremy took Lily's cat and all her stuff out to Nancy's car. Jeremy had promised to look after her cat until she was able to live in her own place again.

We moved most of the boxes upstairs and then Catherine called out for Lindsey and me to come into the kitchen.

"I think we all deserve a lunch break. You two sit down and I'll make all of us a grilled cheese sandwich." she told us both.

"Mom, why don't you let Sara cook? She won't burn the bread." Lindsey suggested.

"I'm not going to make Sara cook after watching her work so hard all day. I'm not going to burn your bread unless you keep distracting me with silly questions." Catherine scolded her.

Lindsey looked at me with a pitiful expression and I couldn't stop myself from laughing at her.

"It'll be alright. I'm sure the sandwiches will be edible." I whispered to her.

"Be nice to your mom, and get us all a cold drink?" I asked before Lindsey took her seat at the table. She nodded and went to get glasses and three cold cans of soda from the fridge.

Catherine served the sandwiches and we all ate together quietly. Lindsey surprised me by actually being very nice to her mom.

"That was good, Mom. Thanks for lunch." she told her and then took her plate and glass back to the kitchen. Catherine looked at me like she thought I told the kid to do that and I shook my head and shrugged.

"Told you she's a good kid." I told her playfully. She smiled and nodded.

"I know she is, but you've really had an effect on her Sara, whether you want to admit it, or not." she told me in a soft tone.

"All I know is that you and Lindsey feel like family to me. I never thought I'd be part of a real family. That's what I found with you that I really wasn't looking for, you know. I didn't know that I missed this, because I don't ever remember having this before. But I don't think I could live without it now. What will I do when you decide you don't want me anymore?" I sighed and let her see my insecurities. I'm sure there were tears in my eyes, but Catherine just took my hand and lifted my chin so she could look into my eyes, then she leaned forward and brushed her lips against mine.

"That's never going to happen, Sara. I love you too much to let you go without a fight." she promised me. She gave me a wicked smile and moved to sit in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close, taking in the scent of lemons and cinnamon that seemed to be as close as she ever came to perfume. I rested my forehead against hers for a long moment, both of us content to relax against each other in this sea of emotion surrounding us.

"Hey, we've still got boxes to bring in, you know?" Lindsey reminded us as she came back into the kitchen. I sighed along with Catherine and we seperated and went back to work. I finished unloading the truck and Lindsey helped Catherine unpack everything and find a place for it all. The following day, Lily was to be released and would be coming to live with us for at least six weeks.

"I've got to go get some more stuff from my apartment. Linds, would you like to ride with me?" I asked as we all looked around the guest room one final time. Everything had been unpacked and put away and the place looked good.

"Yeah, I'd like to look at your c.d. collection again. Can we bring some of your music here?" she asked. I grinned at her and glanced to see if Catherine might have any objections.

"I don't see why we can't. You want to pick out what we'll bring with us?" I asked and her little face lit up.

"Can I Sara? Please?" she whined.

"Sure. Why not?" I told her and grabbed one of the now empty moving boxes to use to bring some more of my stuff to Catherine's place. As it was I'd probably have most of my stuff here before we actually talked about if Catherine really wanted me to move in.

"You're going to need more boxes than that, Sara. You've only got enough clothes here for a week. You should bring them all over. You know we'll eventually end up doing this anyway. Why not go ahead and get a good start?" Catherine shrugged and grabbed a couple more boxes and followed us to the truck. She climbed in and sat next to Lindsey. I just looked at her for a moment, then cranked the truck and drove us all to my apartment building.

They both followed me upstairs and I let them in. I packed up my work clothes and some stuff that I only wore when I dressed up to go out, then packed a couple more pair of pajamas and my thick white robe. Catherine had gone into my bathroom and filled a box with all my shampoo, toothpaste, and stuff, then she added everything from my nightstand to that box. I was a bit embarrassed when she opened the nightstand and found my vibrator, but she just smirked at me and dropped it into the box.

"Guess you haven't used this in awhile?" she teased and I shook my head.

"No, haven't really needed it lately." I grinned at her.

"I know we said we'd give this six months before you moved in, but I think I'm about as sure as I can get, Sara. I want you to live with us." Catherine told me in a serious tone.

"I'm ready for that, if you are. I just don't want you to have any regrets. We can take this as slow as you need to, Cat. I'm in no rush." I told her and she shook her head.

"You belong with us, Sara. Say you'll move in with us?" she asked again.

"Of course! There's no place that I would rather be than where you and Lindsey are. Being with you is home to me. No matter where we end up." I assured her.

She smiled and set the box she was holding on my bed so she could pull me close in a hug. I hugged her back and she raised her face up to kiss me. There was nothing at all erotic in the kiss, it was full of emotion though. Soft and sweet and loving.

"Lindsey! Come in here a minute?" Catherine called out to her daughter and stepped away from me again.

"Yeah, mom?" Lindsey answered sticking her head in the bedroom door.

"I've just asked Sara to move in with us. Is that okay with you?" she asked. Lindsey's eyes lit up and she smiled one of Catherine's smiles, one of those smiles that says she knows she is about to get her way with something.

"Are you kidding? You should have already asked her that. So, Sara, why are you standing around? You should be packing. Get to work, already!" Lindsey teased. I laughed at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You're not fooling me. I know you just want to get your hands on my c.d. collection." I teased her.

"Nah! That's just a bonus." she laughed and went back to rifle through my music again. While we were packing there was a knock at my door. I stopped for a minute wondering who would be knocking on my door on a Saturday afternoon, and while I was thinking about it, Lindsey answered the door.

"Hey, Sara? Uncle Greg is here." she called from the living room. I glanced at Catherine and she took a deep breath and shrugged.

"I think I'll just keep packing. Why don't you go see what he wants. You could maybe send Lindsey in to help me pack your clothes up." Catherine told me and I nodded.

"Whatever you're comfortable with, baby." I told her and kissed her cheek on my way out.

"Hey, Linds, your mom would like some help in the bedroom." I informed our daughter when I got to the living room to find Lindsey sitting next to Greg on the sofa.

"Hi, Greg!" I greeted him and clapped his shoulder with one hand.

"Yeah, hi, Sara. Look, I was out of line, and I know it. I'm your best friend. I should have known about this. I guess I was a little hurt that you didn't tell me about it, you know, before you told everyone else." he complained.

"I'm sorry, Greg. I trust you, really, I do. It's just that it wasn't just my secret to keep. I had to respect the fact that Catherine wasn't comfortable with you knowing just then. Look, I understand how you might be feeling and I'm sorry, but you know, you made her uncomfortable the other day. I didn't appreciate that, Greg. I expected you to be okay with this and to show your support for us both." I scolded him and he winced.

"Okay, you're right. I was kind of childish. I should have handled that better, but it was kind of a shock, Sara. I mean, I can compete with another guy. How am I supposed to compete with Catherine Willows?" he sighed.

"It's not a competition, Greg. We're friends. We've always been just friends. You never had a chance with me and I've always made that clear to you." I told him.

"Well, you always said that, Sara, but there's always a chance. Or at least I thought so until I saw how happy you are with Catherine. I mean, who wouldn't be? Right? I mean, she's Catherine Willows. She used to be a stripper. I mean, she's really gorgeous, and I bet she's really wild in bed, right?" he babbled.

"Greg? If you're trying to ruin our friendship you're on the right track, here." I told him and cleared my throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sara. I didn't mean that in a bad way. I mean, you know, it just keeps running through my brain." he winced again and sighed deeply.

"I'll forgive you, this time. But, Greg, get a grip, okay? Because I can't have you talking about Catherine that way. I can't have you making her uncomfortable or insulting her in any way. And if you say that kind of stuff to the other guys, believe me they won't like it and I will hear about it. Don't make me hurt you, Greg." I warned him. He nodded and shrugged again.

"Sorry, Sara. I guess I just need time to get used to the idea. I mean it is kind of hot to think of you two together, but I couldn't help being a little dissappointed that I wasn't in on this from the start." he grumbled.

"Greg, I apologized already. I'm not going to apologize again. I made my decision and I'm happy with it. I'm packing up my stuff. I'm moving in with Catherine and Lindsey." I told him.

"Wow, that's fast. I mean have you really thought about this, Sara? All I mean is you know, you and Catherine used to fight all the time and I don't think that would be a healthy environment for you. She can be really kind of a bitch sometimes." he finished in a soft tone and I smiled.

"Afraid she'll hear you, Greg?" I teased. He shrugged.

"I did hear him. And he's right. I really can be a bitch sometimes. But, Greg, I love Sara. I know I didn't always treat her well, but we've moved past that. I love her and I would die to protect her, and I promise you I would never intentionally hurt Sara." Catherine spoke up from just behind us. Greg went pale when she first spoke, but he seemed to understand she meant what she said and he nodded as she finished speaking.

"I'm sorry I didn't take the news well, Catherine. It was a shock that's all. I'm glad to see Sara happy. She's been my best friend almost since the day we met. I just needed a little time to get used to the idea." he explained and Catherine smiled at him.

"Well, I'm glad you're coming around. I have to tell you that look you gave me, had me a little worried. Like I had stolen something from you? You know I wouldn't try to stop you and Sara from hanging out together. You're her best friend, Greg, so you're welcome in our home any time you want to come over." Catherine told him and ruffled his hair. He smiled and blushed. Probably thinking something dirty again. I pinched his arm and he winced.

"Ow, Sara. Come on, the least you can do is let me enjoy my daydreams." he whined.

"Not when it's my girlfriend you're dreaming about." I told him and poked his ribs with my elbow.

"I really just came in to tell you we have filled up the three boxes we left in the bedroom and Lindsey is anxious to choose some of your music collection to bring home with us." Catherine told me and settled in next to me on the sofa.

"Okay, well, I guess Greg and I can go talk in the kitchen while she chooses which albums she likes best." I told her and she nodded and went to find Lindsey. I stood up and motioned for Greg to follow me into the kitchen and I started a pot of coffee for us and sat next to him at the table.

"Wow, I still can't believe you're moving in with Catherine Willows. You two sleep together, like every night? That is so hot!" he chuckled.

"Stop it, Greg. You're being more childish now than you were last night. You want to rent some movies and come over this weekend? Get used to me living at her place and hanging out with the whole family instead of just you and me?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll try to be on my best behavior, Sara. Wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of Lady Catherine." he teased me.

"Try hard." I told him and got up to make us both some coffee.


	16. Chapter 16

Catherine's POV

I can't believe it happened so easily. I asked Sara to move in with us and she smiled and accepted. We packed up some of her things tonight and moved them back to my place. Our place, now. Lindsey pestered Sara about her music collection until Sara promised she could bring some of her albums home with us. While we were there, Greg came by to visit Sara. I was a little nervous about facing him again, but it wasn't as awkward as I feared it would be. He seems to have accepted that Sara will never be more than a friend to him. Still, knowing how he feels about her, I don't think he and I will ever be able to be close friends.

When we came home, all three of us were tired and Sara tucked Lindsey in while I took a long, hot shower. She took a quick shower as well and joined me in bed, throughly exhausted. She curled up next to me and wrapped her arms around me, propped her head on my shoulder and drifted off to sleep, holding me like a life sized teddy bear. I fell asleep feeling safe in her arms. And when I woke up she was leaning on one elbow above me, staring at me as if she couldn't believe I was real. She makes me feel so powerful sometimes when she looks at me like that. I see the look on her face and know that she would do absolutely anything for me. It's a feeling that I am becoming addicted to. I love the way Sara looks at me. I love the way she treats me. She always takes care of me, like I am precious to her. She makes me feel so loved.

"Good morning. What put that smile on your face?" Sara said and kissed me gently.

"Good morning, yourself. And you are the reason I'm smiling, as usual." I told her and kissed her a bit harder than she had kissed me.

"Mmmm, baby, if you keep this up we're going to be late." Sara warned.

"I bet it would be worth being late for." I told her with a wink. She blushed and moved a little away from me.

"We should get dressed. We need to pick up your mom in less than an hour." she reminded me.

"Yeah, I know. It's just, knowing that we won't have this much privacy for at least six weeks, I'd like to keep you all to myself for a few more minutes at least." I grumbled. She smiled and nodded.

"I've thought about that, too. I mean, Lindsey's room is all the way down the hall at the other end of the house, but the guest room is just next door. Right across the hall. And, I'm not complaining or anything, but you aren't exactly quiet when we..." she trailed off embarrassed and I chuckled at her implications.

"My mother knows that we have sex, Sara." I told her patiently.

"Yeah, I know, but she doesn't need to hear it." Sara stammered.

"So, are you saying we can't have sex while my mother is here?" I asked in confusion.

"Well, I just assumed you wouldn't want that either." Sara said with a shrug.

"For six weeks?" I asked and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, what choice do we have?" Sara sighed.

"I can learn to be quiet." I pleaded.

"We're going to be late. We should discuss this later." Sara said and stood up, moving to find her jeans and a black silk tank top. I lay silently watching her dress and hoping she wasn't really going to be afraid to touch me while my mother was living with us.

I crawled out of bed and chose some jeans and a tight red shirt I knew Sara really liked on me, then slipped on some socks and my favorite pair of comfortable sneakers. Sara was brushing her teeth when I went into the bathroom.

"You want to go ahead and wake Lindsey as soon as you're finished in here?" I asked her and she glanced into the mirror to meet my eyes and nodded her agreement. She rinsed her mouth and cleaned up her toothbrush before turning to face me.

"I'll make some coffee and start breakfast as soon as get her out of bed." she smiled and kissed my cheek as she moved past me on her way out of the bathroom. I watched her walk away, then quickly went through my morning make-up routine. Sara hadn't bothered with make-up, but she looks great even without it. I'm never more aware of the ten year age gap between us than on mornings like this when she rushes off with no make-up and wearing last night's clothes and still looks terrific and I take an hour to get ready and still look like I'm hungover and exhausted.

When I finally felt presentable and went downstairs to the kitchen I found my daughter already halfway finished with her breakfast. Sara had made her toast, oatmeal and scrambled eggs. She had made the same for both of us, but we both had coffee and Lindsey had juice.

"I was about to come up to get you. Your coffee is going to get cold if you don't join us soon." Sara indicated my cup with her fork before taking another bite of her eggs. I sat down next to her and took a long sip of my coffee which was extra strong the way Sara makes her coffee but she had only put half a packet of sweetener in it, because she noticed that was how I normally make my coffee. It wasn't bad, but was a bit stronger than I'm used to. I drank it without complaining and ate the meal that Sara had cooked for me. Afterward we all climbed into Sara's Tahoe and she drove us to the hospital where we met my sister and spent the morning filling out endless stacks of paperwork before they would allow us to bring my mother home with us. When we entered her hospital room, mother glared at me like I was responsible for the delay.

"Catherine, I thought you were coming hours ago." she sighed and I rolled my eyes and informed her that Nancy and I had been filling out forms for hours and then asked her if she was ready to leave yet.

"So, Do you like it here? Would you prefer to stay? If not, I'll send Sara to bring the truck around and I'll take you downstairs while Nancy finishes working out the payment plan."

"If that was an attempt at humor, Catherine, it failed. I've been ready to go home since my first night here. I can't stand another minute of this. Can we go now, please?" she huffed at me in a frustrated tone of voice.

"Yeah, okay." I told her and turned and gave Sara a signal that she was to bring the truck around. She nodded and turned to leave, Lindsey following closely behind her. I wondered if Sara even knew how much Lindsey adored her.

"You need help getting into the wheelchair?" I asked Mom.

"I don't need a wheelchair. Save it for someone who can't walk." she insisted.

"Mom, it's hospital rules. You don't sit in the wheelchair, I can't take you home." I scolded her and she finally relented.

"Oh, if I must, I guess it won't hurt anything." she sighed and stood up, stepping over to the wheelchair and sitting down carefully. Her chest was still very sore and she moved slowly and cautiously.

"That's better. Let's get out of here, now, before they change their minds about letting you go." I teased her and she gave me a stern look.

"Catherine, that isn't at all funny." she told me and shook her head. I pushed the wheelchair and took us to the elevator and down to the lobby, then out the double doors and to the street where Sara was waiting for us. Lindsey jumped out to open the door for her grandmother.

I helped Mom into the passenger seat up front next to Sara. Then I climbed into the back seat next to Lindsey and helped her buckle her seatbelt, since she had tried to do it herself and tangled it into a knot. Once we got it straightened out I glanced up and saw Sara watching us in the rearview mirror.

"As soon as you fasten your seatbelt we can go, Catherine." she smiled at me.

"I'm getting to it." I pouted and snapped my seatbelt into place. Sara gave me a smirk and pulled out into traffic. She drove us home at a leisurely pace, avoiding traffic wherever she could. When we finally arrived home, Lindsey ran to open the front door for us. She hadn't tried so hard to be this helpful since she was five. I'm not sure if it is because Mom is sick or because she is trying so hard to impress Sara.

Sara came around and helped me with Mom. She was feeling a little weak and tired and Sara suggested she throw an arm around each of us and lean her weight on us. That way we could support most of her weight while she walked. I was actually a little surprised that she agreed, but she did. We settled her on the sofa and Sara went into the kitchen to make grilled cheese sandwiches and vegetable soup for lunch. It was almost 3 p.m. and none of us had eaten anything since breakfast, so we were all tired and hungry and I was beginning to get a little grumpy.

After lunch I helped Mom climb the stairs and got her settled into the guest room. She was pleased with how Lindsey and I had arranged her things and she seemed ready to nap for a while, so I left her alone with instructions to use the bell Sara had left on her nightstand if she needed anything. I shut off her light as I left the room and closed her door softly behind me. I went back downstairs and found my daughter sitting cross legged in the middle of the living room floor watching the Discovery channel with Sara. The were watching some archeaologist explain how bodies were mummified. I sat on the sofa next to Sara and held her hand gently.

"Thank you for helping out so much today." I whispered softly in her ear and she smiled at me.

"That is why I took time off work, Cat." she smirked.

"I know. But still, I want you to know it is appreciated. I don't think I could handle Mom without your help." I sighed and she squeezed my hand.

"I'll be here, Cat. No matter what you need me for." she assured me. She went back to her t.v. show while I sat next to her and just enjoyed her company. It felt nice to sit close to my daughter and my lover and just enjoy being a family. I don't watch a lot of television, so I wasn't really paying attention to what the scientist they were interviewing was talking about until I heard Lindsey make a noise of disgust.

"Ugh! Is that really what they do to people, Sara?" she asked.

"That's what they used to do. But only to dead people. They don't feel a thing, Linds." Sara assured her gently.

"Is this going to give you nightmares, Lindsey?" I asked to remind Lindsey she didn't have to watch stuff that grossed her out just to spend time with Sara. She looked at me, then glanced at Sara and told me in an offended voice that she was not a baby and I should stop treating her like one. I sat silently biting my lip to keep from laughing at her outrage. She wanted so much to be all grown up and I suspect she wanted to be as much like Sara as she could. Her little 'Sara crush' was kind of cute, but I knew I shouldn't tease her about it. I wanted her to bond with Sara and I thought letting her spend time with Sara was having a positive effect on her in lots of ways already. I really didn't want her to pull away from Sara the way she had started to pull away from me after Eddie died.

"Okay. Watch it if you want but it kind of gives me the creeps." I told her in a soft whisper.

"But, Mom, you see worse stuff than this every night at work, don't you?" she asked looking at me carefully.

"We see lots of bad things, but that doesn't mean that nothing gives me the creeps. That kind of stuff has always made me a little sick. It's not something I would have thought you'd be interested in." I told her carefully. She just shrugged and looked toward Sara again.

"I think Sara likes it." she whispered to me and smiled. I nodded.

"Yeah, it appeals to the geeky science nerd in her I think." I grinned and hugged my daughter. Surprisingly, she let me hug her and didn't try to pull away. We sat curled up together next to Sara and held a quiet conversation while Sara watched the show she had become interested in. When Lindsey fell asleep leaning against my shoulder I squeezed Sara's thigh to get her attention and she stood up and lifted Lindsey, carrying her easily up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom. I stood by Lindsey's door, watching silently while Sara tucked her in and kissed her forehead softly before joining me in the hallway.

"Are you about ready for bed, too?" she asked when she noticed me yawning. I shook my head, and gently took her hand in mine.

"No, but I think now would be a good time to finish that conversation we started this morning." I smiled at her, but Sara seemed to get nervous again and didn't wait for me, but went downstairs again taking the steps two at a time. I followed her at a slower pace and joined her on the sofa again.

"You know I invited Greg over. He's coming by for dinner and he plans to bring some videos with him." Sara reminded me. I nodded to let her know I remembered that conversation from earlier.

"Well, maybe we should talk about this, now. While we are alone together and don't have to worry about someone else overhearing our conversation." I suggested. She shrugged but I could tell she was uncomfortable with the idea of bringing this up again.

"Sara, six weeks can seem like a very long time. We're in a new relationship. I'm not sure I can behave myself for six weeks. My mom can be old fashioned about some things, but she is pretty open-minded too. She won't care about this, Sara. She knows the nature of our relationship and she understands. In fact I think she would be shocked if we didn't have a healthy sex life at this point in our relationship. She knows me too well. I'm not shy and I usually voice my needs clearly."

"I know, Cat. I know all of this. I'm just not sure how I can face your mother over breakfast knowing that she heard what we were doing in the bedroom just a few hours earlier. Look, you've known her all your life. I just met the woman formally a few days ago. I know she accepts us, but still, I don't think she needs to see or hear anything that forces her to acknowledge what might make her really uncomfortable for all we know. I'm just saying we should be careful while she is staying with us."

"So, if we want to have sex, what do you suggest we do about it? Cold showers? Because, really Sara, I'm not that into self denial."

"Your sister said she would come by and sit with your mom for us sometimes so we could have some time to ourselves. If you think she would be willing to keep Lindsey as well, we could always go back to my apartment and spend some time together." Sara told me with a hopeful look.

"As long as that isn't the only time you touch me, I'll go along with that. Sara, this isn't just about sex, you know. I love the way you look at me. I love the way you touch me. I need some physical affection from you, even if there is nothing sexual in it. I feel so much for you, Sara. I don't think I've ever needed anyone the way I need you." I told her and this time I couldn't stop my tears. Sara stepped close and wrapped me in her arms and I let my head fall onto her shoulder and I stopped struggling to control my tears and just let them fall.

"I'm yours, Cat. I'm not going anywhere. And just because we have to be a little careful about being affectionate doesn't mean that I don't still feel just as much for you as you do for me. I'll find a way to let you know I love you." Sara reassured me in a gentle tone.

We sat on the sofa and talked for a long time. Sara opened up to me in ways she never had before. She told me more about her childhood and how lucky she felt to be part of our family now. I held her and she cried for a little while. I don't think she had ever taken the time to grieve the loss of her family. Her father's death and her mother's incarceration. Her only brother, being a good bit older than Sara had escaped the family and joined the military. Sara hadn't seen or heard from him since he left home at seventeen. I was too surprised that she was offering so much of herself to me to really wonder why she would share this so freely.

She was a bit shaky after our talk. She had moved into the kitchen to start dinner and I came in to make sure there was nothing she needed my help with. As I moved close to her she jumped and dropped the pan she was planning to use to bake the garlic bread.

"You scared me! What are you doing in here? I thought you were going up to check on Lily." Sara said and tried hard to mask the real fear that she still felt.

"Honey, I just came in to see if you needed me to help out with anything for dinner. If not I'm going to help Mom wash her hair. She will want to look her best since we have company coming over tonight." I winked at Sara.

"Company? It's just Greg. She doesn't need to dress up for Greg. He probably won't even notice if she does." Sara shrugged. I nodded.

"I know. But that's Mom for you. Once I let her know you had invited a friend over for dinner she insisted that she needs to wash her hair and put on her best outfit. I just wanted to check with you to see if there is something you need my help with." I told her again.

"No, I've got this. It's just lasagna and garlic bread. I'm going to make tiramisu for dessert, so I need to get everything started if I want to have it all ready in time for dinner." Sara sighed and moved to pull ingredients out of the fridge.

"Well, okay, if you're sure. But, Sara, call me if you need anything. I'm not as awful in the kitchen as Lindsey makes it sound. Really, I'm not. And I'd be happy to help out if I can." I insisted.

"I know you can cook. I'm not implying that Lindsey is right about your abilities. But, I can handle this. Go help your mother." Sara smiled at me and shooed me out of the kitchen.

I climbed the stairs slowly and knocked lightly before opening the door to the guest room and moving to sit on the edge of mom's bed. She gripped my arm and raised herself up slowly.

"Are you ready for a quick shower?" I asked her.

"I'm ready to feel clean again. I'm not sure how ready I am for anything quick, though. I don't exactly do anything quickly anymore." she sighed softly.

"Let's get you up and into the bathroom. You'll feel much better after we get you clean and get your hair washed again." I assured her and helped her stand up. We moved at her pace into the guest bathroom and I helped her undress and adjusted the temperature of the water before helping her into the shower. I held one of her arms to help her balance while she used the other arm to soap herself and then I helped her use the handheld shower arm to rinse off the soap. We carefully lowered her down into the tub so I could use both hands to wash her hair. She held the shower arm while I shampooed her hair and then gave it back to me to rinse the shampoo out when I was finished. We managed without having to have Sara's help. I had been afraid I'd never get Mom in and out of the shower without her help, but I knew Mom wasn't that comfortable with Sara yet, so I had decided to try it first. I could always get Sara if I needed her.

"Are you doing okay? You need to rest before we get you dressed?" I asked when we had her out of the shower and dried off.

"Yes, I think I'd better lie down for a few minutes, Catherine. I'm feeling very weak and I just need some rest right now." Mom admitted in a defeated sigh. I moved her into the bedroom slowly and lowered her to the bed again.

"You rest for a few minutes, I'm going to go check on Sara. She might need my help with dinner." I told her and left her to rest quietly for a few minutes. I went downstairs and stopped just inside the kitchen door to watch Sara mixing ingredients for the tiramisu in a large mixing bowl. Her hair was tied back and she had my apron tied around her waist. She was so adorable I wished I had a video of this so I could watch Sara being my little housewife whenever I wanted to. She must have felt my presence. I hadn't made a sound, but she glanced up and right into my eyes.

"Do you need some help with Lily?" she asked and I shook my head.

"No, we got her showered and I washed her hair. She is resting now, and I'm going to help her get dressed when she feels a little stronger. I just came down to check on you. I see you're almost done without my help." I smiled at her.

"Yeah, this stuff isn't that hard to make. Greg said he would bring some wine when he shows up. You might want to make some dark red kool-aid or something so Lindsey won't feel left out when all of us are drinking wine. We can pour her kool-aid in a wine glass and she can feel a little more like the rest of us." Sara suggested.

"Not a bad idea. I should probably do that right now." I said and moved past Sara to get a pitcher and some dark cherry kool-aid. I mixed up the kool-aid and set it in the fridge to chill, then kissed Sara throughly on my way back upstairs. She gasped when I first pressed my lips to hers, but she kissed me back and I smiled widely when I released her and made my exit. Upstairs, I tapped lightly on the door and entered Mom's room quietly. She was awake, but still just resting in her bed.

"Feeling up to getting dressed, now?" I asked and moved toward her closet. I pulled out a dress she often wore to meet with her church friends and held it up.

"Do you want to wear this one? Or maybe just the dark blue one that Nancy got you for Christmas?" I asked and she shook her head.

"No, I like the black one with the jacket. That's what I'd like to wear tonight." she told me and I put the dress back into the closet and searched until I found the dress she was referring to.

"Here it is. If you'll sit up, I'll help you put it on. Dinner will be ready in an hour or so and Greg may show up a little early, so we should get you dressed now so he can visit with you before dinner." I told her. I knew she liked Greg, since he had always been very respectful toward her whenever they met. She had seen more of him than she had of Sara when she met them at the lab. Greg was nice to both Mom and Lindsey and he helped them find me when they showed up at the lab looking for me one night. She had thought of him as a nice young man ever since that night and was pleased when she heard he would be coming over for dinner.

I helped her dress and she insisted that we had to put her make-up on before Greg got here, so I helped her back into the bathroom and pushed a chair up in front of the mirror, then stayed nearby while she put on her make-up. The routine hadn't changed much since I used to watch her putting on make-up when I was just a child. She fussed a bit longer now, though. I smiled and shook my head.

"Mom, it's only Greg. He won't care if your make-up isn't perfect. I promise he won't say a word about it." I assured her. She gave me a look and went back to smoothing out her lipstick.

"Catherine, you should fix your own make-up dear, it's smudged a bit." she told me and I glanced at the mirror and noticed I had indeed smudged my lipstick when I kissed Sara. I shrugged and leaned down to whisper to her.

"Thanks for the tip. I'll go do that now. You sit tight until I come back for you." then I went across the hall and through our bedroom into the master bathroom and quickly fixed my make-up. When I returned for Mom, she was done fussing with her make-up and was ready to move downstairs to the living room. I walked down the stairs slowly beside her, holding onto one arm so I could steady her while she walked. She sat carefully in the comfortable recliner and picked up a magazine Sara had left on the table beside her. Some science journal that would bore me to tears, but Mom flipped through it as if it would give her some secret information if she studied it hard enough. I left her to her reading and went to see how dinner was coming along.

"Cat, you want to go wake Linds from her nap? Greg should be here any minute and I know Lindsey will want to answer the door. She just loves Greg. I'm almost done here, just need to get the bread in the oven." Sara told me when she noticed me leaning on the counter watching her spread butter on the garlic bread she was making. I stepped close to her and pulled her long body against mine. She relaxed into me and I held her for a long moment.

"I love you, Sara. You're such a wonderful mate! I'll go wake our daughter." I whispered against her temple and released her slowly, then went upstairs to wake Lindsey. She was already up and changing outfits. By the looks of her bedroom floor this was about the fifth outfit she had tried on.

"Linds. Sara says dinner is almost ready and Greg should be here any minute. She thought you could get ready and answer the door when he arrives. That way she won't burn the bread or anything. I'm going back to the kitchen to help Sara. Come downstairs as soon as you figure out what you're wearing tonight." I told her and she shrugged.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a few minutes, Mom. Hey, do you think Sara would like this green top?" she asked shyly.

"Honey, Sara loves you no matter what you wear. I think the blue one really kind of brings out the color of your eyes though, so I'd pick that one if I were you." I told her gently. I'm hoping this little 'Sara crush' Lindsey has will blow over soon. Five outfits, just to get ready for dinner? Imagine the laundry I'll have to do if this lasts for long. I went back into the kitchen and Sara was just taking off the apron she had been wearing. She hung it up and leaned over the sink to wash her hands. I moved up close behind her and wrapped my arms around her pulling her against my body.

"So, you woke Lindsey already?" she asked in a tone I recognized from her bedroom voice. I nodded and nuzzled her neck. Stealing a kiss before I whispered my answer into her ear at close range.

"She was already up and trying to decide what to wear."

"What do you mean? It's just dinner with Greg. It's no big deal. Why would she need to dress up? Oh no, don't tell me Linds has a crush on Greg of all people?" Sara sighed. I shook my head.

"No, I don't think it's Greg she has a crush on. I'm pretty sure she has developed a little crush on you. She asked if I thought you would like her green blouse. I suggested the blue one instead. She had already tried on about five outfits, Sara. Go easy on her, okay?" I sighed and held Sara even tighter. She nodded.

"We'll handle it, Cat. Don't worry. She's only ten. She'll be over this by next week, I'm sure." Sara told me with a shrug.

"I hope so. I'd hate to see the laundry bill if she keeps this up. It's just a reminder of how quickly my little girl is growing up. It makes me sad to see these changes in her. Like she'll never be my baby girl again. I just want to keep her this age forever. In a way, I'm glad she has a crush on you. It means she will compare all her future mates to you. She will hopefully show better judgement than I ever did. If she is looking for someone who reminds her of you, then she should have better luck in love than I ever had." I sighed again and Sara turned around and wrapped her arms around me, leaned in and laid her forehead against mine.

"She'll be fine. She's growing up, yes, but she is at the age that girls get crushes and I promise you it won't last that long. There will be some little boy she has her eye on before the month is out, I'm sure." Sara whispered and then kissed me gently.

"You girls make an adorable couple." Mom said from the kitchen doorway. Sara jumped a foot and moved quickly away from me.

"Oh, Sara, I didn't mean to scare you. I just needed a drink of water. And since I'm right here I thought I'd get it for myself instead of treating you girls like my personal servants all the time." Mom said and moved into the kitchen to help herself to a glass of iced water.

"Don't think you can't be affectionate with Catherine in front of me. I lived with her for twenty years. There isn't much my daughter could do at this point that would shock me." Mom chuckled and took her water back to the living room. I laughed and Sara shot me a look.

"Oh, come on. It's funny. You were so worried and she doesn't care one way or the other. She said we make an adorable couple. You were standing right here. You heard her. Come on, Sara. Lighten up a little." I teased.

"Cat, it's not that funny. I can't help thinking about how I'd feel if I walked in on Lindsey with someone. I don't want your mom to think of me like that." Sara sighed.

"I'm not ten. Mom is used to seeing me be openly affectionate with my dates." I told her gently.

"You mean with the men you used to date. I'm not a man, Cat. I don't think she'll really see this the same way." she sighed softly.

"Well, I think you're wrong about that. You think we should just go in there and ask her? That would answer your questions. Would it ease your mind, any?" I suggested. Sara looked horrified by the very thought.

"No! No, I don't want to go ask her about it. And I don't want you to either. Catherine, this is your mother we're talking about." Sara whined.

"Yes, I know. I'm just trying to ease your mind a little, Sara. I know it won't bother her. Hell, she just told you it won't bother her. What will it take to make you understand that?" I asked and held my hand out toward Sara. She almost took my hand, but the doorbell rang and the moment was lost.

"That'll be Greg." she said and a moment later we heard Lindsey taking the stairs two at a time to get the door. It sounded like a herd of wild horses was coming downstairs. I smiled at Sara and she gave me a little grin in return. Sara turned around to check on the bread and I went ahead and started setting the table for dinner.

Greg came into the kitchen clutching a bottle of wine in one hand and a stack of videos in the other. He handed me the videos so I could check through them to see if there was anything I wouldn't allow Lindsey to watch, then he turned and presented the wine to Sara like it was a precious gift. She took the bottle and looked at the label, then nodded and handed it back to Greg.

"Nice choice. Open it so it has time to breathe." she told him and handed him a corkscrew. He opened the wine and set it down on the counter, then moved to sit calmly at the table and watch Sara take the food out of the oven. The lasagna was perfect and the garlic bread turned out just a little soft. Sara brought the salad out of the fridge and placed the bowl in the middle of the table.

"Greg, how about you go help Lily to the table? I'm sure she is getting hungry by now. Tell Lindsey dinner is served while you're in there." Sara suggested and Greg hurried to obey her every wish. I smiled a little and she shrugged and quirked an eyebrow at me.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. It's just cute how everyone is so eager to please you and you don't even seem to notice how hard they all try to get your attention." I told her with a little wink.

"What? You mean Greg?" she asked in confusion.

"Greg. Lindsey. Grissom. Even me. You have so much power and you never abuse it, mostly because you don't even seem to understand that you have it." I laughed when her confusion seemed to increase and she frowned at me.

"I think you're seeing something that isn't really what you think it is, Cat." she told me softly as Greg entered the kitchen leading my mother to her chair and sliding it back for her to sit down. Lindsey was right behind them and asked Sara if she could help with anything.

"No, everything is ready, munchkin. Sit down and let's eat." Sara told her and brought Lindsey a wine glass filled with dark red kool-aid. She then poured and served the wine. She handed Mom a glass and then poured one for me. Mom took a long sniff of her wine and smiled.

"Oh, that's a nice wine. I think I'd better stop at half a glass, though." Mom told Sara. Sara nodded and traded her full glass for one she had just filled halfway. We ate slowly, talking during the meal and enjoying each other's company. Greg seemed comfortable and the wine made him even more relaxed. By the time dinner was over he was in a very generous mood and offered to do the dishes while we got ready to watch the videos he had brought over. Sara helped Mom settle into the recliner and Lindsey snagged a seat on one end of the sofa. She wanted to be sure she ended up next to Sara. I moved to the other end of the sofa, leaving the huge overstuffed chair we had brought from Sara's apartment for Greg to use.

Sara brought a big blanket in from our bedroom and sat down between me and Lindsey. She spread the blanket across all three of us so it covered our legs and she leaned close to me, so I could get comfortable and rest my head on her shoulder. Lindsey leaned into Sara's side as well and Sara gave me a smile and a wink. When Greg finished the dishes and joined us, Sara told him to put one of the videos in the machine and flip off the overhead light before he sat down and he quickly complied with her requests.

The first video was a pixar movie that Lindsey had been wanting to watch. The second one was a romantic comedy and I had to wonder why Greg chose that one. Lindsey was asleep before the last video and Sara gently picked her up and carried her upstairs to tuck her in then rejoined me on the sofa for the last video, some old horror movie that both Greg and Sara seemed to know all the dialogue to by heart. They must have seen this one a million times. They would recite the lines along with the actors at times while the movie played. It was hopelessly cheesy and I was sure it couldn't have done well at the theater. Mom yawned and asked if I could help her get upstairs and before I could stand to comply with her request, Sara took over.

"I'll help you upstairs, Lily. Greg and I have seen this one hundreds of times already. You stay and enjoy the movie, Cat." she told me and took Mom's arm and walked slowly up the stairs with her. Greg glanced at me when I cleared my throat and I looked him in the eye and smiled softly.

"Thank you for bringing stuff Lindsey would enjoy. I know this thing between me and Sara isn't exactly making you happy. You're her best friend, Greg, and she needs you in her life. You and I are going to have to make peace with each other for her sake." I told him.

"Um, yeah, sure. I don't blame Sara for this. I mean, the idea of the two of you together is really hot! I just, well, you know, I sort of always hoped that Sara would learn to see me as more than just a friend." he mumbled softly.

"Yeah, I think I figured that out. Look, I understand, Greg. Really, I do. But that isn't what Sara wants. She really is happy now. You can see it on her face. She really isn't that hard to read most of the time. You want her to be happy, don't you?" I pushed and he nodded.

"Of course I want that for Sara. I'll get used to this, Catherine. Just give me some time. It's not easy to give up my fantasy, you know?" he sighed softly.

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure you and I have a good understanding of where we stand with each other and with Sara." I told him and he nodded again and looked at his feet for a long moment.

"I owe you an apology, Catherine." he told me and I shook my head.

"Not at all. I understand and you shouldn't feel bad about expressing your real feelings, Greg. But right now, we both have to think about what makes Sara happy. You are her best friend, and she wouldn't want to lose you. You need to get over this crush for her sake as well as for your own sake."

"It's not a crush. You don't understand, Catherine. I know her so well. And she knows me. And she likes me anyway. So don't call it a crush. It's more than that." he told me in a serious tone while looking me right in the eye. I sighed and nodded.

"Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult the relationship that you have with Sara. I know you care about her and I know how Sara feels about you. But, look, you can't keep hoping for something with Sara. I'm not going away, Greg. I'm going to be right here, with Sara, for as long as she will have me." I told him in a soft, but serious tone and he nodded.

"Yeah, I know. I know I can't compete with you. I can see how much she loves you every time I see her look at you." he gave a defeated sigh and shook his head.

"You don't have to spend as much time with her, if it's hard for you. But don't just cut her out of your life, that would hurt her too much. Look, I know it's tough, but if Grissom can do this, so can you. If you really care about her, let her have what she really wants, Greg." I told him softly. He looked into my eyes and shrugged.

"Would you? If it was the other way around? If you loved her and she chose me, would you let her go?" he asked and I shrugged and nodded.

"If I thought that was what she really wanted, and that it would make Sara happy, then yes, I would let her go." I told him, meeting his eyes again. He nodded and took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I guess if Grissom can do it, so can I." he spoke in a saddened voice, but he met my eyes and nodded in understanding. Sara came back and snuggled close to me on the sofa.

"You want to come share our blanket?" she asked Greg and he shrugged.

"You think I'd turn down spending time under the blankets with you and Catherine?" he asked and moved over to sit on the other side of Sara. She chuckled softly and lifted the blanket for him. He met my eyes again across Sara's head, now snuggled on my shoulder. I smiled softly at him and gave him a little wink. He smiled back and when Sara giggled at a scene from the movie he joined her in chanting the dialogue aloud. We sipped more wine and Greg got a little drunker than I think he intended. After the movie was over, Sara went upstairs and brought a pillow down for him and told him that he was too drunk to drive and he was sleeping on our sofa tonight.

"Wow. When the guys find out I spent the night with the two sexiest women in the lab they're going to be so jealous!" he teased and Sara giggled.

"Well, you did do our dishes last night. The least we can do is give you a place to sleep." I told him and helped Sara get him comfortable before leading her upstairs.


	17. Chapter 17

Sara's POV

I woke up early Monday morning and took a quick shower, trying hard not to make enough noise to wake Catherine. I shouldn't have worried, though, she was so sound asleep I think a marching band could have paraded through the bedroom and not disturbed her. I stood watching her for a long moment, her mouth was slightly open and she was snoring softly. She looked so peaceful and vulnerable I hated to leave her alone, but I had to go downstairs and wake Greg and make breakfast for everyone. I intended to enlist Greg's help moving some more of my things out of my apartment before he had to report to the lab for his shift tonight.

I descended the stairs quietly and shook Greg awake. He groaned pitifully and barely opened one eye. Then he winced in pain and closed it again. He took a deep breath and rolled over so his back was facing me and pulled his blanket over his head.

"Oh, no you don't. You and I have things to do today, pal. Up you go! Come on now!" I insisted and grabbed his arm and tugged him upright.

"Sara, please! My head is going to explode. Just leave me here for a couple more hours. I'll help you with anything you ask, but please don't make me open my eyes right now?" he whined pathetically. I just smiled and sat down next to him.

"Greg, you remember that night that you came by on my night off and I was hung over when you woke me up? You remember, right? How you sort of just leaned on the doorbell and wouldn't give up and go away. Consider this payback." He opened one eye and noticed the smirk I was directing at him and then he groaned and covered his face with both hands.

"Geez, Sara! How many times does a guy have to apologize for one little mistake?" he grumbled, rubbed his eyes, then ran a hand through his spiky hair and sighed.

"Do I at least rate coffee?" he asked and winced as the sun caused him to quickly cover his eyes again. I chuckled softly and stood up to go make the coffee.

"Yeah, I'll make us some coffee. You can even have breakfast with us before I put you to work." I offered and he groaned again.

"Um, Breakfast might not be a great idea. I'm kind of nauseous right now." he confessed in a soft voice.

"I have just the cure for that." I told him and moved into the kitchen to start the coffee. Once it was brewing I made Greg drink a glass of water and gave him two aspirin.

"You're dehydrated. The aspirin will help with the headache. Once the coffee is ready it will help you feel a little more human. Sorry, but this isn't the expensive stuff you're used to." I explained to him and he shrugged and sat down at the kitchen table.

"At this point I'll take any coffee I can get, even if I have to chew it and drink the water behind it." he sighed pitifully and rested his head on his arms.

"Just finish your water first, please." I fussed and he rolled his eyes and drank the rest of his water in a couple of long swallows. He sat silently watching me move around the kitchen making breakfast for my family. I decided scrambled eggs and toast would be simple and get everyone fed.

"Are you feeling enough better to pour us both a cup of coffee?" I asked Greg and he nodded and stood up to get the coffee.

"Where are the cups?" he asked and I pointed to the cabinet just above the coffee-maker where Catherine keeps her coffee cups. He grinned and opened the cabinet and pulled out two cups. He poured the coffee and added the cream and sugar just the way I like it and set my cup on the counter in front of me.

"Thanks for taking good care of me, Sara." he told me in a soft voice and squeezed my shoulder before moving to sit at the kitchen table and watch me again.

"You're welcome, Greg. But you'll pay me back today. I need you to help me move some more of my stuff from the apartment to Catherine's, er, um, I mean our place." I told him. He smiled.

"Well, it's nice to feel needed." he grinned at me.

"I see you're feeling better. The water helped didn't it?" I teased and he shrugged.

"That or this coffee is stronger than it tastes. Looks like things sure have changed since you decided to make a move on Catherine. Movie night was fun, but just not the same as when it was just the two of us. Guess this means no more bowling and pizza?" he sighed.

"Greg, those weekend bowling games and movie nights were fun, but they don't have to stop just because I have a family now. They'll just include some of my family members as well. I'm sure there will still be times when Catherine won't want me around and we can hang out, just the two of us then, okay?" I tried to comfort him some. I knew he hated the idea of not spending all our free time together the way we had been for a couple of months before Catherine and I got together. Just as I was putting the bread in the toaster Catherine stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the door-frame for a moment, sniffing at the air around her.

"Is that coffee I smell? Sara, you're a goddess!" she sighed and moved to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, sweetheart! You looked so peaceful this morning I just couldn't bear to wake you." I confessed and she gave me a shy smile.

"Lindsey woke me up. She wanted help figuring out what to wear to school today." Catherine sighed wearily.

"Just think, she's only ten! Wait until she hits sixteen. Didn't know what you were getting yourself into did you, Sara?" Greg chuckled and Catherine glared at him for a second before shaking her head and sighing deeply.

"I think I better go up and help Mom downstairs. I left Lindsey pestering her for fashion advice for a change. I'm sure she is tired by now." Catherine grinned at me and set her coffee cup beside mine then went quickly upstairs to alert Lily and Lindsey that breakfast was almost ready.

A couple of minutes later, Lindsey came thundering down the stairs and stopped in the doorway, glancing around to see if the table was set before she asked if I needed her help with anything. I suggested that she could help Greg set the table and Greg winced and shot me a look, but he got up and helped Lindsey set the table. They were almost finished when Catherine came in with Lily leaning on her left arm.

"Well, something smells good, Sara. You sure take good care of my girls." Lily smiled at me.

"That's what family should be about, right? They're my family now. I take care of them and they take care of me. That's what you do for the people you love." I told her and filled a plate for Lindsey.

"Here's your breakfast, Linds. You want to pour yourself some juice and go keep Greg company while I finish serving breakfast?" I told her and she smiled and shrugged at me.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks, Sara." she told me and then set her plate next to Greg and turned to pour herself some juice.

"Pour your Grandma some while you're at it, sweetheart." Lily told her and Lindsey smiled at her and reached for another glass. She took both glasses to the table with her and settled in next to Greg. She handed him the second glass and told him to pass it to Lily, which he did very carefully. I could tell his head was still throbbing with pain from his hangover. I readied two more plates and handed them both to Catherine.

"Honey, here is your plate and your mom's. I'll reheat and bring your coffee when I reheat mine." I told her and she smiled and kissed the corner of my mouth.

"Thank you, baby." she whispered in a sweet tone. I sighed and filled two more plates with food.

"Okay, Greg, time to earn your keep. Come take these plates to the table. Put mine next to Catherine. I'll be in as soon as I reheat our coffee." I told him and he politely did exactly as I requested. After breakfast I asked Greg to help Lily to her recliner in the living room and hand her the remote control and the newspaper. Catherine sent Lindsey upstairs to finish getting ready for school and then came around the counter with a handful of dishes.

"Can I help you with anything else sweetheart?" Catherine asked in a soft whisper against my ear as she pulled me against her. Her arms were around my waist and her breasts were pressing against my back. I groaned softly and leaned against her a little harder.

"No, baby. I think I can handle this. Do you think Nancy might come by and spend some time with your mom and Lindsey tonight?" I asked hopefully and Catherine chuckled.

"I'll ask. I was really hoping you might be thinking about that." she whispered in my ear and I shivered against her. I hadn't slept well because I could think of little else.

"I've got to drive Lindsey to school. I'll stop by and talk to Nancy on my way home. She has two nights off this week and I think this might be one of them." Catherine told me in a soft voice. Greg had wandered back into the kitchen and he coughed and cleared his throat when he noticed Catherine holding me against her. Reluctantly, we separated and I finished rinsing the dishes and started the dishwasher. Catherine filled a travel mug with coffee and quickly packed a lunch for Lindsey. Greg settled in at the kitchen table again and watched Catherine preparing to leave.

"We can go bring a load of your stuff over this morning if you'd like, Sara. I'm feeling a lot better now." he told me and I shrugged. Catherine glanced at me and lifted one eyebrow. I smiled at her and shook my head. She seems too worried that Greg might have a crush on me. I keep dismissing the thought, but lately I'm beginning to wonder just what she sees that I'm obviously missing.

"I've got to get going. We're going to be late if we don't go now." she sighed and then called out to Lindsey to meet her at the car. Lindsey came through the kitchen with her book bag slung over her shoulder.

"Mom, you're all stressed out again. Why don't you let Sara drive me to school?" she suggested.

"Uh uh, no way. Get in the car, young lady. We don't have time to argue about this today." Catherine told her and they left in a rush.

"Okay, we can't leave Lily here alone so you're spared any hard work until after Catherine gets back home. You want to get the videos from last night so we can return them on our way to my apartment?" I asked Greg and he nodded.

"Yeah, sure, I'll get them and make sure they're all in the case they belong in." he winked at me and shuffled into the living room to get the videos. When he came back in he told me Lily wanted to speak to me a minute.

"Says she needs to speak to you alone. Guess I'll just have another cup of your weak coffee." he sighed. I laughed and pointed to the coffeepot.

"Help yourself, you know where everything is." I told him and went to see what Catherine's mother wanted to speak to me about. She was sitting back in her recliner with her feet kicked up and a forgotten crossword puzzle in her lap. Seems like maybe she is nervous and was waiting for me.

"Did you need something, Lily?" I asked in concern. She shook her head and met my eyes. Her eyes were almost as blue as Catherine's and I can see where that red hair comes from. Even though Lily dyes her hair, the roots of her hair are clearly red. The same lovely shade that I've noticed on Catherine. Lily looks a little worried now. This is making me a bit apprehensive.

"Sara, I want you to know I appreciate you and Catherine taking care of me." she told me softly.

"Lily, it's no trouble. You're family. We take care of each other. Don't worry about it." I assured her and she nodded.

"I know, but I don't want you to think I'm taking any of this for granted. I know I've interfered in Catherine's life too many times and I don't want to mess things up for her now that she is finally happy." Lily sighed sadly.

"Catherine and I are in love. No matter what happens in either of our lives, we're together now. You couldn't mess this up for her, even if you wanted to, Lily." I promised her and she looked relieved.

"It's just I thought perhaps I was causing some stress between the two of you. Catherine has seemed worried and I thought maybe it was because I've put too much of a burden on your new relationship." she tried to explain.

"No, it isn't anything you've done, Lily. I think Catherine is just feeling a little stressed but she and I are planning to have a date night if Nancy agrees to come watch the kids and keep you company while we are out." I smiled at her and she nodded.

"I'm sure that will help Catherine's mood significantly." Lily chuckled. I blushed at her obvious suggestion and smiled at her, then retreated to the kitchen and joined Greg for another cup of coffee. He was telling me a long-winded story about how he solved his last case when Catherine got back and I interrupted his story to get the door for her. She came in with a couple of shopping bags in her arms.

"What's in the bags? I didn't know you were going to the store. I had a list you could have taken if I had known you were doing the shopping." I scolded her and she grinned.

"I didn't do the shopping. I brought some stuff over for Nancy and the kids. She had already done some shopping and she wanted me to bring this stuff over and put it in our fridge so she won't have so much stuff to lug in out of her car tonight." Catherine explained and leaned in to give me a quick kiss, then handed off one of the bags to me.

"Think you have time to put this stuff away for me while I go check on Mom?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course, sweetheart." I agreed and started unpacking the food. Frozen pizza, ice cream, soda pop and popcorn. Looks like Nancy intends to let the kids have a junk food festival while Catherine and I are away. As long as it means Cat and I have some privacy, I'm all for it. After I put all the food away I turned to Greg and found him watching me closely. Maybe Catherine has a point about him.

"Okay. I'm all done now. You ready to get started?" I asked and he shrugged and tilted his head a bit.

"Anything for you, Sara." he smiled at me and I shook my head and laughed at him.

"Yeah, yeah. You say that to all the girls. Let's get moving. We have lots to do before lunchtime. I want to get back here and unpack some stuff in time to get showered and changed before Catherine's sister gets here with the kids." I told him and he stood and gathered up the stack of videos.

"Okay. We can take my truck if you want." he suggested.

"Okay, but I'm driving." I told him and held out my hand for his keys. He sighed deeply and pulled them out of his pocket and dropped them into the palm of my hand.

"Of course you are. You always drive." he sighed and rolled his eyes. I laughed and smacked his arm as I stepped past him into the living room.

"Honey, Greg and I are going to pick up some more of my stuff from the apartment. We should be back before lunch." I told Catherine and gave her a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth. She smiled up at me from her seat on the end of the sofa and winked.

"Try not to tire yourself out. You might need that energy later on tonight." she teased in a soft whisper. I blushed, but it seemed like nobody else had heard her comment and I didn't worry too much about Greg making fun of me about it. He didn't pester me as much as I had been afraid he would. He didn't really seem to want too much information about my relationship with Catherine.

"I'll just wait in the truck, Sara." he told me and I rolled my eyes and followed him out.

Three hours later, we had packed up some kitchen stuff, most of my computer equipment and the rest of my music and my stereo equipment and loaded it into his truck. I also packed up three big boxes of books and made Greg lug them down the stairs and load them into the truck for me. When we got back to the house he unloaded the books while I started unpacking the boxes from the kitchen and sorting through them to see what we would keep and what we would donate to Goodwill. Catherine already had lots of kitchen stuff, but I had a few nice items that I wanted to keep and we had decided that we would replace some of her things with my things and any duplicates could go to Goodwill.

Catherine found space on one of her bookcases for my music and we set up the stereo in Lindsey's room since Catherine already had a nice stereo system in her bedroom. Greg came in with the last of the boxes and flopped down in my old overstuffed chair with a dramatic sigh.

"Just think, I still have to go home and change and put in a full shift tonight." he joked.

"You'll survive. I've pulled double shifts on less sleep than you got last night. How's the hangover, now?" I teased him and he stuck his tongue out at me before laughing and telling me he felt less like his head might explode, but he was still queasy.

"Lightweight!" I teased again and he tossed a cushion at me.

"Well, if you've released me from work detail, I think I better get home and get a little sleep before I have to get ready for work." He told me and I shrugged.

"Okay, you're free. Just don't make any plans this weekend. I'm borrowing Nick's truck and me, you and Nick are going to get most of the rest of my stuff from my apartment. We might even talk Warrick into helping us if we offer him enough beer and pizza." I told him and he groaned and stood to leave.

"Okay. I'll tell my legions of female fans that I'm yours next weekend and they will just have to wait." he told me and winked.

"I'm sure they'll be crushed." I laughed.

Greg left and I finished emptying the books out of the box I was sorting through. Catherine sat down next to me on the floor in front of the bookcase. Her hand traced a light pattern on my jeans just above my knee. I looked into her eyes and lost whatever I had been about to say. I could see desire in her eyes and affection as well. It just takes my breath away to realize that this woman really does love me the same way I love her.

"Why don't we go upstairs and take a quick nap while Mom is napping? Then we can get showered and dressed as soon as Nancy brings the kids home and we'll be free to spend the whole night thinking only of each other." she suggested softly. I gulped and nodded, then stood and helped her to her feet. She walked slowly up the stairs, never releasing my hand and when we entered the bedroom she turned and locked the door behind us, pinning me against the door with her body. She moved in slowly, licking her lips and staring at my mouth. Stopping just before her lips connected with mine, she glanced up into my eyes, an unvoiced question in her beautiful blue eyes. I nodded and she brushed her lips against mine in the softest sweetest kiss she had ever given me. She held me tightly against her and let her hands explore the curves of my body. I held my breath and just enjoyed her touch for long moments, then I grasped her wrists and stopped the progress of her wandering hands.

"You are such a tease." I groaned and backed her up to the bed. I lightly pushed her shoulders until she was sitting on the edge of the bed looking up at me.

"Stay right where you are." I whispered in her ear and she shivered and nodded that she would obey. I backed up and pulled my shirt off in one quick movement, then unbuttoned my jeans and slid them down my legs, stepping out of them before removing my bra and boxer shorts. Her eyes seemed to be tracing all over my body, I could almost feel the path they took. I liked the idea that Catherine could look at me this way when I was naked. She looked past all my scars, and she saw something in me that she wanted. I was flattered by that fact and it made me realize again just how much she really must feel for me.

"Are you going to undress me?" she asked in a husky whisper. I swallowed hard and moved to stand in front of her again. Close enough to touch her, but not yet reaching out to actually touch her. She sat patiently, waiting for me to answer her with words or with my actions. I just looked into her dark blue eyes and smiled at her.

"Would you like me to undress you?" I asked gently. She nodded and held her arms up so I could strip her shirt off over her head. I reached around and unhooked her bra without getting close enough that she could feel my body brush against hers. I pushed at her shoulders again and she lay back on the bed and stretched out, allowing me to unfasten her jeans and strip them off her. Wearing only her silky underwear, Catherine slid across to the other side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers, then held them open for me to slide in beside her. When I did she turned her back and snuggled in close to me. I wrapped my arms around her and lay so close I could feel every breath she drew. We stayed there warm and feeling safe in each other's presence until we fell asleep curled together. Catherine's alarm woke us when it would normally be time for her to go pick up Lindsey from school.

"We should get up and shower and get dressed. Nancy will be here with the kids soon." Catherine reminded me and I groaned softly.

"It's just so nice and warm here. Give me five more minutes?" I begged and she laughed.

"Hey, we could have just stayed here if you'd only listened to me. You know Mom doesn't expect us to give up our sex life just because she is currently living in the room next door." she scolded.

"Yeah, okay. Since we're doing this mostly for my sanity, I guess I'll sacrifice a few minutes warmth and peace with you to have more time alone with you tonight." I sighed and got up to gather my clothes and take a quick shower. Catherine joined me a few moments after I got into the shower.

"Umm, baby, I'm not sure I can be good if you stand this close to me while you are naked and wet." I confessed and she laughed.

"I never said you had to be good, Sara. I promise not to be disappointed in you if you can't keep your hands to yourself." she smirked at me.

"Oh, you are so bad sometimes." I groaned and tried hard to get all the soap rinsed off myself as quickly as possible so I could leave Catherine to finish showering on her own. No way could I look at her and not touch her after all the teasing we engaged in earlier today. When I finished and started quickly toweling off, she laughed at me again.

"Oh, you are just too easy sometimes, Sidle." she taunted.

"We'll see who's easy when I get you to my place, Willows!" I warned her and she chuckled softly and stuck out her tongue.

"We'll see alright. I think last time we were there I promised you a lap dance. Think you can handle it, Sidle?" she winked. I gulped and blinked in response and she laughed again.

"Speechless? The ever eloquent Sara Sidle? Now that makes me feel powerful." she teased and I finally found my voice.

"Maybe we'll get around to that lap dance. But as soon as we get there, I have other plans for you." I told her and smirked at her. She raised an eyebrow and grinned at me.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, but I'm not telling you what I have in mind so you'll just have to wait and find out." I teased her.

"I think I know you well enough to guess." she chuckled.

"Really? So, what's your theory then? What do you think I have planned for you."

"Well, let's see. I have been teasing you for three solid days now. Knowing you the way I do, you might last five seconds after locking your apartment door behind us, then you'll do your best to strip me naked and have your way with me on the first available flat surface. Which will probably be your living room carpet." she giggled.

"Not what I had in mind." I shook my head.

"Maybe not what you had planned, baby, but I know how bad you want me. I can see it in those dark brown eyes every time you look at me. If we make it to your bedroom I'll be amazed at your self-control." she smiled and leaned forward to kiss me. I allowed her a brief kiss, but pulled away when she tried to deepen it.

"I have plenty of self-control. Would you like me to prove that to you." I asked with a smirk.

"Not tonight, baby." she winked and stepped out of the shower, not bothering to cover her body with a towel. I shivered and tried hard not to stare at her. She sat down at her make-up table and started brushing her hair. She glanced up into the mirror and met my eyes.

"I'll be a little while if you want to finish your shower, or you can go ahead and get dressed so you can help Nancy get the kids settled in." she suggested and then went back to her routine, dismissing me without another thought. I shrugged and dropped my towel, slipping on the clothing I had brought into the bathroom with me. I looked up once and caught Catherine watching me in her mirror. I smiled at her so she would know I'd noticed and she smiled back and didn't even blush, openly admiring my breasts as I struggled to pull my sport bra on over my head. My skin was still a bit damp from the shower and the bra tried to roll up instead of slipping into place every time I tugged at it.

"Need some help with that, gorgeous?" Catherine asked with a hint of a smile.

"I might." I sighed and she laughed and stood up to come to my rescue. She tugged the bra away from my skin and slid it into place, helping me straighten out the rolled up straps. She gave me a quick kiss and turned, going back to her make-up routine and I finished dressing quickly and went downstairs to greet Nancy and the kids. I was just in time to open the door for Lindsey and she gave me a big hug, then dropped her backpack on the floor next to the table.

"I have tons of homework tonight, Sara. How are you at history?" she asked and Nancy laughed.

"Linds, honey, I think Sara and your mom have plans tonight. How about we ask your grandma to help with your history lesson? After all she lived through a lot of it personally." she suggested with a wide grin. I winked at her and ruffled Lindsey's hair.

"I have a few minutes to help out with some of your homework, but history is not really my area of expertise. I bet Lily would really be better at that than I would." I told her and she took out her math book instead.

"Then can you help with my math homework?" she whined.

"I can get you started, but then Aunt Nancy will have to help if you get stuck because I really do have plans with your mom tonight." I told her and she sighed and shrugged.

"Okay. We better start now then." she said as she opened her notebook and showed me her homework assignments.

"Wow! That is a lot of homework. Did you get in trouble at school or something?" I asked and she blushed.

"Promise you won't tell Mom?" she asked in a whisper and I rolled my eyes.

"Linds? You know I won't keep secrets from your mom. What happened? You might as well tell us, because if you don't your teacher will at the next parents meeting anyway." I suggested in a soft tone and she shrugged.

"I got into a fight at school and the teacher gave us both extra assignments to keep us busy and out of trouble." she confessed.

"A fight? As in an actual physical fight? Like a fist-fight?" I asked a bit louder than I meant to.

"Shh, Sara! Not so loud. You don't want mom to hear us. She'd cancel your date with her to stay here and interrogate me." Lindsey warned. I swallowed hard.

"Linds, answer the question, please?" I managed to say in a more normal tone.

"It wasn't my fault. She called my mom a queer. I told her twice not to say that again, but she didn't listen so I punched her. Then the fight sort of got loud enough the teacher noticed and dragged both of us inside and gave us extra homework for the whole month." she explained. I sighed.

"Your mom has to know about this Lindsey. Now. Tonight. Before we go anywhere. Do you want to tell her yourself or would you prefer to have me tell her for you?" I asked and she looked a little scared.

"But, Sara, if you tell mom about this, she won't want to go out tonight. She'll stay home and ask me a million and one questions and ground me for life. And then you and I won't be able to play frisbee in the park this weekend and you won't be able to take me to the science museum like we planned." she pleaded.

"Lindsey, honey, she's your mother. She loves you. She has to know about this tonight. The sooner the better. Now are you going to tell her or am I?" I insisted.

"Tell me what?" Catherine spoke up from the kitchen doorway. I raised an eyebrow in question at Lindsey and she sighed deeply and mumbled in her mother's direction.

"I sort of got in a fight and got extra homework assignments for a whole month and Sara said I had to tell you about it tonight, but I didn't want to because I didn't want to ruin your date with Sara." she finally took a breath.

"A fight? A physical fight? Lindsey, why? Over what?"

"It wasn't my fault, mom. She started it." Lindsey whined.

"I don't care who started it. Why did you let it turn into a physical fight?" Catherine sighed.

"But she said mean things, mom. And I warned her, I told her not to say it again, but she did." Lindsey was near tears now and still hadn't told Catherine what she had told me. I decided the poor kid had been through enough, so I stepped in to explain things for her.

"It was because of us, Cat. She was defending you. One of the other kids called you queer and Lindsey felt like she needed to defend you. It was because people know about us at the school." I told Catherine softly close to her ear, so Lindsey wouldn't have to hear exactly what we said. Catherine sighed and shook her head.

"Lindsey, honey, look at me. I've never asked you to defend me from anything that anyone might say about me. I don't happen to care what other people think about me. Let them say whatever they are saying, it only serves to show their own insecurities. I've never done anything that I am ashamed of." Catherine told her daughter. Lindsey nodded and looked down at the floor.

"Linds? Don't worry. I'm not mad and I'm not going to ground you. I know you did what you thought you had to do, but honey, next time something like this happens just let it go. I really don't want you getting into fights to defend my reputation. I'm not worried about what any of those people think of me. As long as Sara and I are happy, why should we care if those people are too busy being jealous of us to get a life of their own?" Catherine smiled and Lindsey finally understood exactly what she was trying to tell her.

"You're not going to punish me?" she sniffled.

"No, I think a month of extra homework is punishment enough. And Sara can't help you with the extra homework either. I have plans with her tonight and we won't be home until tomorrow morning just before Aunt Nancy has to leave for work." Catherine explained. Lindsey nodded and gave Catherine a hug, then hugged me again, too.

"I'm sorry I asked you not to tell Mom, Sara." she said in a soft voice, but I noticed Catherine listening anyway.

"You should know you won't be able to convince me of that, sweetheart. I love you, but I can't hide things from your mother for you." I told her and ruffled her hair again.

"I guess I better start on that homework. Have fun on your date. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Lindsey said and turned back to her books.

"Do your best, but honey, this extra homework doesn't have to be perfect. We don't expect you to get everything right, just do what you can. We love you. We'll see you tomorrow after school, okay? And no more fights, promise me?" I told her and she nodded.

"Yeah, I understood what Mom was saying. I won't be getting in fights for dumb reasons anymore, Sara, I promise." she told me and I smiled and placed a quick kiss on her forehead.

I turned and looked at Catherine and she winked at me and gave Nancy the phone number at my place in case something came up she would need to call us about. She assured Catherine that she could handle whatever might come up and encouraged us both to enjoy a night to ourselves. After a bit of younger sister teasing older sister we finally got out the door and into my car, I drove us to the diner where we usually ate and quickly went in to pick up a take-out order I had called in ahead of time and then drove on to my apartment building and led Catherine inside. I set the food on the kitchen table and poured us both a glass of red wine.

"I hope your food is okay. I took a chance and ordered it the way I remembered you used to order your steaks. We haven't really done this since we started dating." I babbled nervously. Catherine was watching me and I felt like she was expecting something from me, it made me jumpy and excited me at the same time.

"The food is fine. The wine is good. I especially love the company, though." Catherine spoke in a seductive tone that made my skin tingle. She let her eyes wander over my body shamelessly. I swallowed hard and found that I really wasn't that hungry anymore.

"Well, if you aren't hungry right now, we could put this stuff in the fridge and reheat it later." I suggested. She shook her head.

"No, let's enjoy it while it's fresh and still hot. We have all night, Sara. There's no need to rush." she told me in a gentle tone. I nodded, then took a bite of my pasta and realized that my appetite for food had returned. It had been quite awhile since I tried this particular dish and it was one I had always enjoyed. I ate silently, savoring the food and sipped at my wine, trying not to get too drunk tonight. I didn't want to numb myself to anything that we would be experiencing tonight. When Catherine finished her food I took our plates to the sink and rinsed everything. Out of habit I put it all into the dishwasher right away. Catherine refilled both our wineglasses and followed me into the living room carrying them both.

"Why don't we settle in on the sofa for a few minutes while our food settles?" I suggested and Catherine agreed. We sat close together and Catherine turned to face me. She leaned in close and gave me a soft, slow kiss. Her full lips pressed very gently against mine and then lingered, sliding against my lips as she lightly caressed my lips with hers. She pulled back slightly and smiled at me. I pulled her body tightly against me and kissed her again.

"Mmmm, God, Sara!" she breathed and rested her forehead against mine when she finally broke the kiss.

"I guess I'm not the only one that's missed this then?" I teased and she shook her head.

"No, and you're very cruel for making me wait so long." she pouted and then gave me a slight smile.

"Well, I think it's safe to say you won't have to wait much longer. I'm not sure how long I can behave myself. That dress you're wearing looks new. If you want to wear it again, it might be a good idea to go change into some of my clothes right now." I warned her. She smiled and winked at me.

"Why do you think I bought this dress, Sara? I knew what kind of effect it would have on you. I'm not going to go change into your baggy old sweats and ruin the mood." she teased. I laughed out loud and shook my head. Catching one of her hands in mine I placed it against my chest so she could easily feel my heartbeat.

"Cat, honey, the way I feel about you, there is nothing you could do to ruin the mood. You could wear a burka and I'd still be just as excited to be near you." I promised her. She sighed and leaned against me contentedly.

"You always know exactly what I need to hear, Sara. You always manage to make me feel loved and desired and respected all at once. Do you know that no one else I have ever dated could ever do that for me?" she whispered and placed a soft kiss on my temple.

"I'm sorry that it took me so long to get up the courage to finally take a chance on letting you know how I feel about you. I always have a little twinge of regret over those five years we wasted arguing with each other when we could have begun our relationship so much earlier if we hadn't been so busy denying our feelings for each other." I sighed and Catherine shook her head.

"I think we both needed the time to really get to know each other and learn to trust each other. I know that when I first met you I considered you a threat to my career. I mean I worked so hard taking night classes at UNLV and trying to keep dancing to bring in some money, spending what little time I could with Lindsey. My marriage to Eddie was in trouble even before Lindsey was born, but it seemed like I had to try to make it work. Then when I met you, well, I was intimidated by how smart you are. Harvard? How was I supposed to compete with that? And after working with you for a short time I realized that you were even sharper than I thought, and that scared me." she sighed and took a long sip from her wine glass.

"You know, when Holly first hired in, I was just so thrilled to have another woman on the team. I wasn't the only woman on graveyard shift anymore. I tried so hard to give her advice. I wanted to be her mentor and her friend. She wanted to quit. I talked her out of it. Then when you came along, well, I felt like I couldn't make that same gesture with you. Not because I was afraid the same thing that happened to Holly might happen to you, but because I felt threatened by how smart you were and by the relationship I could tell you had with Grissom then." she explained.

"Well, I have to say when I first met you I was attracted to you, but I knew you were married, so I knew you were off limits to me. I really didn't spend much time thinking about it. But later on, when we started sort of making peace with each other, I found myself falling in love with you. It was turning into a very unhealthy obsession on my part and I think that might be why I was always so ready for a fight with you. I knew you'd never notice me in any other way and at least when we were fighting I had your attention. Negative attention is still attention. Pathetic, huh?" I sighed and Catherine leaned in and kissed me again.

"You have my complete attention now, Sidle. How's that obsession of yours coming along?" she teased and I grinned at her.

"I don't think it's as unhealthy now as it really was then. I think, when the feelings are mutual, a little obsession can be very satisfying." I winked at her and she laughed out loud.

"We'll see if you still feel that way after tonight. There is something I've become obsessed with too, you see. I guess I'll let you decide if it is a healthy obsession or an unhealthy one." she told me with a chuckle.

"Well, you'll have to let me in on your secret before I can help you decide that, Ms. Willows." I teased her. She shook her head.

"You're a bright girl. I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own." she laughed.

"Well, this has been an interesting conversation, but, where were we?" I smiled and kissed her gently. She kissed me back and I felt her fingers winding into my hair. A moment later she tugged hard and I let my head fall back, exposing my throat to her as she nibbled her way down to the V between my breasts and then back up to tease my earlobe with her teeth.

"Why don't we move this to the bedroom?" she suggested playfully and I nodded, too out of breath to form a reply. She stood and offered me a hand. Tugging me to my feet, Catherine led me to my bedroom and turned down the covers while I closed the bedroom door and started taking off my boots. When I looked up at her she was stripping off the shimmering blue dress she had worn. She let it fall to the floor and I noticed she had on matching blue silk lingerie. The bra was strapless and the lacy little panties she was wearing barely covered anything. I've seen bikini suits that covered more skin.

"Wow!" was all I could manage to say and Catherine was clearly amused by my ogling her like a hormonal teenaged boy. She smiled at me and made a turn so I could see both sides of the lacy underwear. I tried hard not to stare at her like I'd never seen a nearly naked woman before, but really, I just didn't have that kind of strength after spending the last few days teasing each other and not really touching her the way I wanted to.

"Would you like to take these off me, Sara?" Catherine asked in a voice gone all sultry. I gulped and nodded and stepped towards her. Clumsily I slipped the hooks holding her strapless bra out of the clasps and freed her gorgeous breasts. Immediately I cupped them in my hands and kneaded them gently. Her nipples hardened instantly against my palms. I drew a deep breath and looked into smoky blue eyes.

"Cat? Is this okay? I really just need to feel you right now." I breathed against her cheek as I pulled her close.

"Whatever you want, baby. I'm yours tonight. Do whatever you feel." she told me and I felt my heartbeat triple.

"Really?" I asked, looking into her eyes to see if she was teasing me again.

"Of course, Sara. I wouldn't make an offer like that if I didn't mean it, baby." she promised me. I kissed her gently, brushing my fingers through her silky hair. It was soft and reddish blonde. More red today than blonde. She was overdue for her hairdresser's appointment. But I loved it just like this. I moved my kisses down her throat and then back up to her earlobe. I liked the small sounds she was making.

She sighed when I sucked her earlobe into my mouth. My palms were caressing her hardened nipples again and she arched her back slightly, pushing her chest closer to my hands. I smiled and stepped back from her. Her eyes opened and the dark blue color of them surprised me. She was enjoying what I was doing, and I could tell that just from watching her face.

"Cat, I don't think I have the strength to stand for much longer. Why don't you lie down? I'll be right beside you as soon I take off some of these clothes." I told her and she smiled.

"Do I get to watch you strip for me?" she teased and I grinned at her.

"If that's what you want me to do. I mean, I'm probably not going to do a good job of it, but if that is one of your fantasies then I want to try it." I told her and she shook her head.

"I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with, Sara. I just want to watch you take off your clothes. I mean, you just said that was what you were going to do anyway. I just want you to let me watch. Don't try to hide your scars, I've seen them all, just let me look at you." she told me. I nodded and watched Catherine settle in on my bed. She moved to the middle of the bed and sat back against the headboard. When she looked at me I felt instantly self conscious and tried hard not to let it show.

I started unbuttoning my blouse and stripped it off slowly, making eye contact with Catherine as I dropped it to the floor. The expression on her face was pure lust. I unsnapped my jeans next and let them fall to the floor before stepping out of them, then I peeled the sports bra off over my head and tossed it onto the floor behind me. I walked a little closer to the bed and then pushed my boxer shorts off my hips and let them fall to the floor, stepping out of them as I climbed onto the bed with Catherine. She raised up and reached for me as I came closer to her. I let her squeeze and fondle my breasts for a few long moments before I caught her wrists and backed her up against the headboard again.

"I'm not done yet, Willows. What's the hurry?" I teased and she smirked at me.

"I've been very well behaved so far, Sidle. You really should reward me for my patience." she suggested with a wink. I nodded and leaned down to capture one of her nipples between my lips. She gasped and threw her head back. I released her wrists and she grabbed a handful of my hair so she could better control the sensations my mouth was causing on her breasts. I enjoyed her playing with my hair, even when she pulled it a little harder than I thought necessary.

She whispered my name in a pleading tone and I glanced up to see her watching me. Her eyes were a dark, sparkling blue. I was momentarily stunned at the lust I saw in them. I'd never seen such an intense look directed at me. She was focused intently on my mouth. I looked directly into her gorgeous eyes and sucked hard on the nipple I was teasing. She gasped and dropped her head back to the pillow. Her fingers wound tightly into my hair and she pulled me more tightly against her.

"Please, Sara." she whimpered. I could feel her legs tangling around me and she thrust her hips upward, brushing herself against my midriff. Her tiny blue panties were damp against my skin. I released the nipple I'd been torturing and waited until she made eye contact before I spoke.

"Tell me what you want, Catherine. I need to hear you say it." I urged her.

"Oh, you just love to make me beg, don't you, Sidle?" she teased.

"It is kind of fun sometimes." I admitted with a slight shrug. She laughed out loud at that and raised up on her elbows to kiss me again.

"I need you to touch me, Sara." she whispered against my cheek. I ran two fingers slowly up her ribcage and brushed the underside of her breast.

"I believe I was already touching you." I smiled and she bit at my shoulder softly.

"Not there." she said and grabbed my wrist, dragging my hand down her abdomen, toward the tiny expanse of dampened lace that still covered her sex.

"Here." she said as she trailed my hand easily underneath the waistband of her underwear and I felt the slick warmth of her desire under my fingertips. I drew my breath in a sharp hiss as my own desire suddenly left me gasping for air.

"God, Cat! I don't think you've ever been this wet." I whispered against her throat.

"Sara, please. I need you, baby." she told me and I looked up to see those intense dark blue eyes focused right on my eyes this time. I didn't dare blink, I wanted to watch her reactions and read her emotions in those stormy eyes. I smiled at her and hooked my thumbs into the waistband of her lingerie. She lifted her hips and allowed me to slide the lacy underwear down her thighs, then she raised her legs and let me pull them off and toss them carelessly into the corner of my bedroom.

I stroked her thighs and pressed gentle kisses against her damp red curls. She was still watching me intently. I gave her a cocky smirk before I pushed my tongue inside her, never breaking eye contact. She drew in a deep breath and spread her legs farther apart. I could feel her hips rising up off the bed. I decided to tease her a little longer. I withdrew my tongue and started slowly licking up and down her sensitive flesh.

"God, Sara. Your mouth feels so good, baby." she whispered and I smiled up at her.

"You taste incredibly good. I could do this for hours." I teased her.

"Trying to kill me now, Sidle?" she teased in return. She got quiet when I started licking her again. I slowly pushed two fingers inside her and stroked her clit gently with my thumb. She lay back and closed her eyes and I stopped all movement. When her eyes met mine again there was confusion in them.

"I just want to be able to look into those gorgeous eyes, baby. Try to keep them open for me?" I begged and she smiled and nodded.

"I'll try, but honey, you have no idea how hard you make it for me." she whispered. She kept her eyes open, though, at least until her climax came and she arched her body toward me and let her head fall back, eyes tightly closed as she moaned my name. I have never felt more closely connected to anyone than I felt to her then. I wanted to protect her, to hold her against me and keep her safe from everything. I stretched out beside her and lay my head against her chest to listen to her hammering heartbeat while she slowly regained some sense of herself.

"Well, that was just amazing." Catherine sighed and slid her arms around me.

"Glad you liked it. There's more to come after you've had a chance to rest." I promised and she chuckled softly.

"Well, I don't want to be selfish, but I really think I need to touch you now." she told me and then kissed me hard.

"I have no objections to that." I grinned when she finally released my lips.


	18. Chapter 18

Catherine's POV

I tried so hard to fight off the orgasm-induced coma that Sara's lovemaking always seems to leave me with. I kissed her passionately and let myself focus on her responses to what I was doing to her body, but it just wasn't enough to keep me from falling asleep on her. I awoke a few hours later to find her smirking at me from her position next to me in bed.

"Tired,baby?" she teased.

"No, but you seem to have this effect on me. I think next time I should take care of you before you get to touch me, otherwise you're always going to have me falling asleep on you at inappropriate times." I tried to explain and she smiled at me and shook her head.

"I don't mind in the least." she told me. Sara slid closer to me and held my hand in hers, placing it against her heart so I could feel her pulse pounding against my fingers.

"I love being with you, Catherine. Even if all we did was sleep, I need you to know that I enjoy spending time with you. Making love with you is enough for me, and I'm not at all disappointed that you didn't get to finish what you started. So, please don't worry about falling asleep when you're tired. I liked watching you sleep. You're so vulnerable and angelic when you're sleeping. Makes me feel very protective of you." Sara whispered as she cradled me in her arms and ran her gentle fingers repeatedly through my hair.

"I'm afraid that isn't quite what I had in mind, sweetheart." I chuckled and Sara smiled and nodded.

"I know. But we have time, Catherine. We don't have to fit everything into this one date, you know." Sara insisted.

"You have no idea, Sara, just how I really feel about you. I haven't been able to find a way to express it to you. You are so damn sweet. You're everything I've ever wanted in a mate, and so much more than I ever expected to find. Sara, I really want to spend the rest of my life with you. I had hoped that tonight would be my chance to express everything that I've been feeling for you. To show you how close to you I feel. I had plans for these few hours I've wasted sleeping. Now we're just going to have enough time to shower and change and get some breakfast before we have to be home so Nancy can get the kids to school before she has to be at work. I feel like I've lost my chance here, Sara." I sighed.

"You've lost nothing. And I think everything you just said expresses your emotions pretty clearly. I don't need to be the center of your life to be in your life, Cat. I know you have to put Lindsey and your family first. I'm okay with that." Sara assured me.

"I just really don't want to lose you, Sara. You're the best part of my life right now. I don't think I could survive losing you." I whispered and tears started to fall. Sara brushed them away with her soft fingertips before I could retreat and try to hide them from her.

"Don't cry, Cat. Honey, I love you with all my heart. I'm not going anywhere. I'm in this for all I'm worth. I don't need you to prove anything to me. You'll have other chances to do whatever you had planned for tonight. I'm yours, Cath. Nobody and nothing can change that now." Sara assured me. I sighed deeply and clung to her for a long moment.

"I'll start the coffee. You go shower first." I told her when I released her and sat up.

"I'll make a deal with you. After my shower while you're getting ready, I'll run down to the corner bakery and get some breakfast for us both. Do you like fresh baked scones?" she asked and I smiled.

"That will be perfect. Fresh scones and hot coffee. Give me another kiss before you get out of bed?" I asked and Sara seemed oddly surprised by the lack of confidence in my tone. She smiled and leaned across to kiss me gently, then went to take her shower. I stretched and stood up, wrapping myself in Sara's sheet. I trudged into the kitchen and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. Once the coffee was started, I slipped into the bathroom and joined Sara in the shower. I wrapped my arms around her and she glanced over her shoulder and grinned at me.

"You planning to make us late?" she teased.

"Me? Never!" I assured her with a wicked grin.

"Right! Just because you look like an angel doesn't make you one, Cat. So you can stop trying so hard to look innocent while you're groping my naked body." she scolded and swatted my hands away from her breasts.

"But, Sara..." I started.

"Nope. No whining. I'm going to go throw on some clothes and go pick up some food for us. I expect you to be dressed when I get back." she told me with a wink and stepped out from under the water and grabbed a towel. She quickly dried herself and retreated to the bedroom to change into her clothing. I showered quickly and got dressed while she was out getting the food. When she came back I was in the kitchen pouring us both a cup of coffee.

"Come on, Sara. We have time to eat before we have to leave, but there is one other thing I wanted to do before we have to get back." I teased her when she set the bakery bag down on the counter and started searching for plates. She smiled at me and pulled a hot blueberry scone from the bag, dropped it onto a plate and handed it to me.

"Fresh from the oven. Lydia, the woman who runs the bakery, knows me and she always makes sure I get the fresh from the oven batch when I go in for baked goods." Sara told me and I raised an eyebrow.

"Lydia, huh? Just how well does she know you?" I asked and Sara laughed out loud.

"Oh, so you're jealous now? Oh, this is too cute!" she teased and I rolled my eyes and showed her my tongue.

"Well, I have to wonder, don't I? I mean you just told me that she gives you special treatment. Is it really such a stretch to think that she probably looks at you the way I do?" I pouted and she grinned and moved to join me a the table. Sara sat down next to me and sighed, then took a long sip from her coffee. She turned to look at me seriously and took one of my hands gently.

"You never have to worry about other women, Cat. My heart belongs to you. Now, eat your breakfast before it gets cold." she said in a quiet but steady voice. I smiled at her and took a big bite of the scone.

"Mmmm, this is even better than I thought it would be." I moaned in appreciation. Sara laughed.

"I'll have to tell Lydia that my girlfriend enjoys her cooking. She'll be very flattered." Sara teased me. We finished our breakfast and Sara rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, which she then started. I stepped close and pulled her body against me. I felt her shiver when she felt my breath against her ear.

"Don't move. We still have a little time and I've been needing to do this for so long, Sara." I whispered to her and ran my fingers up the hem of her tank top. Letting my fingernails graze her ribs, I dragged my hands up her sides and reached around to cup her firm breasts in both hands. She leaned back against me and groaned.

"Cat, are you sure we have time for this?" Sara hesitated. I squeezed the soft flesh I had been fondling and heard her groan again.

"Relax, Sara. Just let this happen, baby." I whispered against her ear. She nodded and gave in to me. I slid one hand down her tight abdomen to release the buttons on her jeans, then snaked my hand down into her boxer shorts. She was wet for me already. Finding Sara so hot and wet made me even more aroused than I already had been and I pushed her against the counter and silenced her protests with a kiss. I stopped kissing her long enough to strip her tank top off over her head and then pulled her hard against me so I could feel her soft skin brushing against mine where our bodies met. When she tried to remove my blouse I pushed her hands away.

"Not this time, baby. I'm in control now. Just let go, Sara. Let me take care of you, sweetheart." I whispered feverishly against her soft lips. She nodded in response and those dark eyes closed and she leaned back on the counter and allowed me to slip her jeans and underwear off her long legs and drop them to the floor. I traced my fingernails all along the length of her legs. When I reached her inner thighs, Sara raised her head to watch me. I looked into those intense brown eyes and very gently spread her open and entered her with one finger, then added another, sliding in and out making sure she was wet enough to handle more, until I had penetrated her with my whole right hand. Her eyes closed and she dropped her head back to the counter when I was fully inside her. I could feel her heartbeat and I knew from the increase of dampness surrounding my hand that she was enjoying the way I was moving inside her. I moved slowly, very gently, so I wouldn't risk hurting Sara. Soon though, her hips were rising to meet me and I increased my speed and the depth of my strokes. She shuddered and clamped her thighs shut around my hand.

"Stop. Please, Cat, just stop." she cried and I stopped all movement. Concerned that I had hurt her I leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Sara, honey, are you alright? Do you need me to pull out?" I asked softly and she shook her head.

"No, not yet, but just don't move. I can't stand any more. Not right now." she pleaded. I kissed her temple and nodded.

"Whatever you want, baby. I'd do anything for you. I love you so much, Sara." I told her and she opened her dark eyes to look at me again. There were tears in her eyes and my heart clenched hard at the thought that I had done something to make her cry.

"I love you, Catherine. It isn't anything you did, baby. It's just that this kind of triggered some bad memories for me." she explained in a gentle tone.

"I'm so sorry, Sara." I whispered and started to very slowly, carefully withdraw my hand from inside her. She gripped my wrist lightly and pulled my hand out a bit faster than I would have thought would be comfortable.

"I'm the one who should apologize, Catherine. You just wanted to give me your love and I let my past ruin things for us again." Sara whispered in a sad voice.

"It's not your fault, Sara. Look, we should probably be getting started anyway." I told her and she forced a smile.

"Why don't you go wash your hands while I get dressed again." she suggested. I nodded and left her to dress herself.

In the bathroom I paced back and forth in front of the mirror and tried to calm myself. I felt so awful for pushing Sara too fast and triggering memories of her childhood abuse. I was so angry that someone would think it was okay to hurt my Sara. I had to calm down before I went back to face her, she would only be more upset if she knew that this had upset me. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, then washed my face and hands and went back to meet Sara. She was dressed and had pulled herself together and was waiting next to the front door with her duffle bag in one hand and her car keys in the other.

"You ready?" she asked and I gave her a smile and nodded. I followed her down the stairs and she drove us home. Neither of us spoke during the trip and I hoped that Sara was handling this better than I was, but I was afraid to ask her about it. The only time we talked about her childhood was when she woke up drenched in sweat and shaking from her nightmares and I convinced her that talking to me about it might make it less powerful.

She would tell me bits and pieces from her childhood. Enough that I knew the basic facts, but not the horrors that she had to endure. I knew that her father was a mean drunk who beat his wife and kids, and that he had raped Sara at an early age. I also knew about the night her mother had killed him right in front of Sara. She had told me little scenes from her childhood that left me shocked that someone could survive so much and come out of it as calm and kind and sweet as my Sara.

I never tried to make her talk to me about it except after a nightmare. I always thought she would tell me what she was comfortable telling me in her own time. I was determined not to push her. But right this moment, I really wanted to push for more. I wanted to talk her into seeing a therapist. Something that I knew she would refuse to do, but that I felt could be helpful for her and for us as a couple. I just didn't know how to raise the topic without either insulting Sara or scaring her off. So I kept quiet.

Two weeks later my mother was doing well enough that she felt ready to move back to her own place and both Sara and I went back to work. My first night back I got paired with Warrick. We had a blindfolded body found in the middle of a crop circle. Sara wound up paired with Greg investigating the death of a college basketball star. She was quiet when we met up after shift and once we got home she went upstairs and took a shower, then spent a little time with Lindsey before we drove her to school. On the drive back home I asked her if there was something bothering her and she replied that she'd had a long night and was just tired.

"Nothing's wrong, baby, come to bed." she assured me and I followed her upstairs. Once in bed we cuddled and kissed and soon fell asleep curled comfortably together. I woke up shortly before time for my shift to find Sara standing over me with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll.

"I can pick Linds up if you need me to. I know your shift starts at four and mine doesn't start until eight, so I can bring her home and help her get her homework done, feed her something for dinner and drop her at Nancy's place on my way to work." Sara suggested and I smiled at her.

"That would be perfect. I'll just call her later on tonight so I can talk to her before she goes to bed." I told her and gratefully accepted the coffee and the pastry that Sara had brought me. I sipped my coffee and ate the cinnamon roll, then got up and showered and dressed for work.

When I got there, everything seemed very routine. I sent Nick and Warrick out on their cases and started reviewing my backlog of paperwork. Then I got the call. Something had happened to Nick. He went out to do his job, and he didn't come back. Officers at the scene found his vest and there was no trace of Nick. I called Ecklie and then Grissom. Then I called Sara.

"Baby, I need you to drop Linds off early and come on in to work. Take enough of her stuff that she can stay with Nancy a few days if necessary. Something has happened to Nick. I've called Ecklie and Grissom. Everyone is being called in. We're going to be working on this until we find Nick and get him back." I explained and Sara said she understood and she took care of everything then got to work as quickly as she could. She and Nick have always been close. He was like a big brother to her. Her only protector when she thought I hated her. They bonded in a way that she really doesn't bond with people easily. I know she is upset and I know that this could cause trouble between us if we let this case get to us.

I try really hard to just remain professional. I treat Sara like just another team member. But somehow, that must be the wrong thing to do, because she seems hurt by it somehow. She is withdrawn and moody and a bit defensive when I do try to speak to her. I let it go and just concentrate on the case. Nick's life is in danger. We have to stay focused. As much as I hate to do it, I have to go ask Sam for money.

I've tried hard to keep Sam out of my life, and my daughter's life, but he takes every opportunity to try to get himself back into our lives in some small way. I didn't want to ask him for anything, but Nick's life could depend on it, so I do it anyway. I can tell that Sara doesn't like it. She doesn't say anything about it. And I know she is glad when Nick is rescued, but I feel that I have somehow disappointed her. She is relieved as everyone is when Nick is finally safe and she tries hard to help him get over the trauma he has had to deal with. I try hard not to let their growing friendship bother me, but it still does. I'm jealous. Again. How did I let Sara Sidle become so important to me so quickly? And why do I know somewhere deep inside that this will end badly?


	19. Chapter 19

Sara's POV

Work has been stressful and I think it is starting to cause some problems between Catherine and me. When Nick was kidnapped she was frantic to get him back. Of course, we all were, but Catherine was acting as his supervisor, so she felt responsible for what happened to him. She even went to Sam Braun for help. She got the money for Nick's ransom from him, then the kidnapper blew himself up along with the money. I hate to admit that my first thought was "How will we ever pay him off now?"

I hate the thought of Catherine owing him anything. He used her mother for years and only took an interest in Catherine and Lindsey after his legitimate children were out of his life. One son murdered and the other sent to prison for it. So now he wants to be in their lives. Catherine always turned him down before. I'm afraid this money might change that. I tried hard not to make an issue of it. She didn't ask my opinion of it. She did it without even discussing it with me first. So I kept quiet and just focused on the job. Once Nick was rescued, I made sure to let him know that I'd listen anytime he needed to talk. I told him to call whenever he felt like he needed to talk to someone. He assured me that he would. And he has.

He feels comfortable with me. He tells me all about his nightmares and how sometimes when he arrives at a crime scene, he gets really scared and asks one of the officers to accompany him on his first walk-through. I can understand. We've both suffered things no child should ever go through and we both can talk about this stuff with each other. Nick is like a brother to me. I tried to explain that to Catherine, but she seems to resent the time I spend with Nick. It's almost like she is actually jealous of him. I don't want to argue with her so I just act like I haven't noticed how much it bothers her when Nick calls.

Tonight at work when Nick and I were having a quiet conversation in the break room, Catherine walked in to get a cup of coffee and I could read the emotions on her face. She got jealous. Of Nick. Ridiculous. But how do I make her understand that. She has no competition. I am so in love with her I'd never even consider starting up something with anyone else. No matter how close we have become. I love Nick like a brother. I don't want anything more than that from him. But before I could end my conversation with Nick to try to make Catherine feel better, she had already stormed out and locked herself in her office. I knocked quietly and waited until she finally opened the door and let me in. Then I closed the door and shut her blinds.

"Okay, clearly we need to talk. What was that about earlier? In the break room. It kind of looked like you were actually jealous of Nick. You want to tell me what's going on in your head?" I started and she actually looked a bit embarrassed about her behavior.

"I'm sorry, Sara. It just gets to me sometimes. You spend so much time with him lately. It was hard for me to watch the two of you getting so close to each other. I guess maybe I am a little jealous. Our relationship is still so new. I guess I just wanted more of your attention. I don't mean to be pushy." Catherine explained.

"You haven't been pushy. You keep shutting me out. How am I supposed to know how much this stuff is bothering you if you never tell me?" I whined.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to do better." Cat promised and gave me a sweet smile. I moved in and kissed her. Just a slight peck to her lips.

"Okay. Thank you. Look, I have to get back to work. I left Greg sorting through a half a dozen trash bags we brought in from our last scene. If I don't help him out he will find a way to make me pay." I winked at her and left her to her paperwork.

Greg and I spent the better part of four hours sorting through all kinds of garbage and separating it into different boxes to label as evidence. Grissom showed up when we were almost finished asking all sorts of questions that neither of us was prepared to answer and then he ranted at both of us about needing more evidence if the case was to proceed. Greg sighed heavily and pulled the last bag of trash open. Almost right on top we found a bloody butcher knife.

"Well, how's that for evidence?" I laughed and handed Greg a clean evidence bag. He bagged the knife and told me that he would finish sorting the trash while I went back over our crime scene.

"Don't go out alone, though, Sara. Take Warrick with you. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to my favorite girl." Greg warned me. None of us liked to do solo cases since Nick's kidnapping. We were all still a little shaken because of what happened to him.

"Yeah, I'll round up Nick or Warrick to tag along." I promised him. As it happens, I ran into Warrick first and he agreed to ride out to the alley way behind the biker bar with me and help me go back over the original crime scene. I drove slowly enough that we had a chance to talk on the way there.

"Hey, has Catherine said anything to you about my friendship with Nick? Like that she was bothered by how much time we spend together?" I probed, but Warrick just shook his head.

"You know, Sara, you and Cath should really talk to each other. You know I can't share confidences. Cath and I are close, but if she thought what she said to me would get back to you, she would feel like she had no one to talk to." Warrick scolded me and I nodded.

"Yeah, okay. I understand. Just let her know, will you, that I love her and I would never do anything to hurt her. She seems to have forgotten that lately."

"It's not you, Sara. Her ex really put her through hell. So Cath has some trust issues. It's not like you don't have a few of your own. You two really need to communicate with each other. Stop trying to protect her from every bad thought you have. Share yourself with her. Let her know she can share herself with you. Make her see that you aren't planning on going anywhere." Warrick advised me. When did he get so wise? I smiled at him and he ruffled my hair, then we got back to business and found the evidence that Grissom was beginning to doubt we would find. We got back to the lab and turned everything in and I filed my paperwork and went to find Catherine.

I knocked on her door and got no answer. I checked the break room, then the locker room. Even the showers. No Catherine. I ran into Nick on my way to Grissom's office.

"Hey, you seen Cat?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, she caught a case. Left about twenty minutes ago. Headed out to the desert I think." Nick replied.

"Alone?" I asked, panic rising in my voice.

"Yeah, but there are police officers securing the scene already. I'm sure they'll hang around to make sure she is safe." he tried to reassure me.

"Umm, I've got to go." I told him and quickly made my way to Grissom's office.

"Where is Catherine?" I asked without even bothering to knock on his partially open door.

"Out on a case." he replied, glancing up over his glasses at me.

"Yeah, I know that much. Where is her crime scene? Give me the address. I need to make sure she has backup." I explained.

"Sara, I think you might be letting your feelings for Catherine interfere with your job." Grissom started, but I cut him off.

"Just give me the address. I finished my paperwork and my case is ready to file. I was getting ready to leave when I found out Catherine caught a solo. After what happened to Nick, I'm not leaving her out there with no backup." I told him and he raised his hands and then reached for an assignment slip.

"Here is the address. But, Sara, don't compromise this case. You're not working with Catherine. You're on your own time and you're just there to check on her. Let her collect the evidence. Let her do her job. You can't be a part of this one." he warned me.

At the moment I didn't even bother to wonder why he didn't want us working together. It's not like we hadn't worked together since we started dating. On the drive out I started to think about it and it bothered me a little. Why would he think I would do something to compromise Catherine's case? It took me almost 45 minutes to get to the remote desert location and when I do there is one cop car there parked next to Catherine's SUV. The lone officer meets me just as I am getting out of my vehicle.

"Hello again, Ms Sidle. Didn't know you were coming tonight." he greeted me.

"Hi, Paul. Where is Catherine?" I said in return. He pointed over his shoulder to a small shack.

"She's out back in the old shed. That's where the body was found." he told me.

"Is she by herself?" I asked and he managed to look a little embarrassed.

"Well, yes, but I cleared the scene first. I looked everywhere. There was nobody around but the body. She'll be safe. No need to worry. I wouldn't wander far. I was just giving her a little space to do her job." he hurriedly explained. I nodded and gave him a little smile. Then I stepped past him and started toward the shed he had indicated behind the little shack.

"You, um, you forgot your gear, Ms. Sidle." the chubby officer told me.

"I'm not on the case. I'm just an observer tonight." I told him and he gave me an odd look. Can't say I blame him. Probably the first time he ever got that answer from a level 3 CSI who already works for the department. I tread carefully so I don't disturb anything that might be important and I don't stop advancing until Catherine is close enough that I can speak in a normal tone of voice and know she can hear me.

"Cat, why didn't you bring Greg or Nicky out here with you?" I asked and she spun around to look at me.

"Sara, you shouldn't be here." she told me.

"So I've been told. You want to tell me why not?"

"Well, this guy happens to be related to someone that you were close to. Someone you know." Catherine sighed.

"What? Who?" I asked and stepped closer to get a better look at the blonde streaked hair and the tanned skin on the corpse. Nope, I don't know the guy. Why would everyone assume that I would.

"He's Hank's brother. The paramedic. Hank found him and called it in. I told Grissom I'd work the case. You shouldn't be here, Sara."

"Catherine, that is ancient history. I never even met this guy. Wouldn't even know his name. I think I remember Hank saying he had a brother, but I don't think I ever knew his name. Still, I'm not here to try to spoil your case. Grissom already said I'm not to interfere. I just had to make sure you were okay." I told her and she gave me a small smile.

"I'm okay. Looks like I'll be pulling a double today, though. Could you pick Lindsey up from school?" she smiled.

"Yeah, sure. We'll have lunch ready for you when you get home from work." I promised her and she stepped closer.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Sara. I love you, you know." she told me and gave me a slight kiss on the cheek. I smiled and pulled her in for a real kiss.

"I love you. And don't think I hadn't noticed that you've been avoiding contact with me lately. You and I really need to talk, Cat. Soon." I told her and she winced and nodded.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry if it felt like I shut you out, Sara. I didn't mean to. It's just instinctive. I'm so used to having to take care of myself and Lindsey and not having anyone around that I can really depend on. We really kind of moved fast. When I feel a little threatened all my old habits kick in. I get defensive and easily irritated." Catherine started trying to explain. I stopped her with a kiss.

"Hey, I know. It's okay. We can talk about this later when we have some time alone with each other. How about we make a date? We'll have dinner together like a real family and then drop Lindsey at Nancy's and you and I can go back home and sit down at the kitchen table with some coffee, just like the first time I was in your house. And we can talk it all out. Okay?" I offered. She smiled and nodded and gave me a real kiss in response.

"See you in a few hours." she told me and I went back to clock out and go pick up Lindsey. When I got to the school she was waiting in front of the building.

"Hey, Sara. Where's mom?" she asked as she climbed into the car and fastened her seatbelt.

"She had to pull a double this morning. But she will be joining us for lunch and tonight we're all having dinner together." I told her. She was a little pouty because she was disappointed that Catherine wasn't there to meet her, but she quickly got over it and soon we were back at home engaged in a two-player video game that we got so involved in neither of us heard Catherine drive up.

"Sara, you're not supposed to do that!" Lindsey was scolding me after I caused her to lose her last "life" in the game.

"I think someone promised me lunch." Catherine reminded me and I abandoned my winning game to go make grilled cheese sandwiches for my family. I could hear Catherine and Lindsey talking and giggling together. Catching up on time they would have spent together if they could. I listened to their chatter while I set the table and I called them in when everything was ready. We all had lunch together and Lindsey offered to rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher so Catherine and I could get some sleep. Very thoughtful child at times! We took her up on that before she could change her mind and I reminded her that she should try to do as much of her homework as she could by herself while her mom and I were sleeping.

A few hours later we both got up and showered and dressed, then I went down and made spaghetti for my girls. Catherine made Garlic bread to go with the spaghetti and Lindsey set the table then we all sat down and had dinner together. After dinner I helped Lindsey do a final check of her homework and then we drove her to Nancy's place and dropped her off. We went back home and Catherine made coffee, then we sat down at the kitchen table and had a long discussion. Catherine told me her fears and shared with me that she had recently learned that Warrick had married a woman he'd been dating and hadn't bothered to tell her about it. Her best friend. She had thought they were really close. She was hurt, but she didn't feel like she could talk to anyone else about it. Nick was always on the phone with me and she was insanely jealous and feeling incredibly guilty about it. Another emotional meltdown she felt she had to keep inside because she had no one she felt she could share it with.

"Not that Grissom was ever that good at giving relationship advice, but I sure miss having him as a close friend." she sighed when she finally wound down.

"Cat, I'm sure he misses you just as much. You should talk to him. You two need to sort out your differences. We all have to work together and we all need each other. Warrick should know how you feel about him, too. He actually gave me some good advice earlier tonight. He said you and I had to start communicating." I told her.

"Yeah, I think I knew that already, but I was so scared to tell you some of this stuff, Sara. It seemed like you were so hurt and angry after the whole mess with Sam and the money I borrowed from him." Catherine told me.

"Yeah, I was hurt. You didn't talk to me about it. You just did it and then sprung it on me. A really nasty surprise. So, yeah, I got angry." I confessed.

"Yeah, and you didn't say anything to me. You shut me out, Sara. So I guess that's why when I felt hurt, I shut you out in return. I was so afraid you would never forgive me. Have you? Forgiven me, I mean." she responded.

"I have. I'm over it. I thought you were in danger tonight, Cat. I was so afraid I might not get to you in time. Afraid that something awful might happen and you wouldn't know how much I really love you because we were both too busy being stubborn and independent to admit that we really do need each other." I told her and to my utter embarrassment I started crying and then she was there on her knees next to my chair, holding me in her arms and stroking my hair while I cried on her shoulder.


End file.
